Until tomorrow
by Erendyce
Summary: One year at university. Days pass by, yet each one is different. Two paths cross. They had nothing in common, and yet... Flynn/Yuri, Yuri/Flynn. AU setting.
1. September 1st

**A/N:** Yeah. I know I said I'd take a break from writing because of uni, but I just CAN'T. So here I come with a multi-chaptered fic again _ *is doomed and shot*

**Disclaimer:** Nothing but the plot belongs to me

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><p><strong>Until tomorrow<strong>

**September 1st**

The alarm-clock of his mobile phone rang loudly, making him groan and shift under the sheets. Extending an arm, he turned off the phone and let his limb fall flatly over the edge of the bed, his face buried in the pillow. He then remembered that there was something he had to do today, though his half-awaken mind couldn't figure out what yet. A few seconds passed before his brain started functioning.

'_Right. School. First day.'_

These weren't the best thoughts Yuri could have early in the morning to start the day, and they were definitely not the best incentive for him to get out of the bed. He rolled on his back lazily and opened his eyes with a sigh. Well, as much as he disliked school, he still didn't want to be late on his first day. He yawned loudly and stretched his arms, then after a few seconds of inner debate, he finally left his bed with some regrets.

As he drew the curtains of his window, he glanced at the clock on the wall. 7.20 am. The entrance ceremony was starting in forty minutes. Plenty of time. Within three minutes, his face was washed and his uniform was on – the tie was loose and the collar unbuttoned but it was merely because Yuri never bothered wasting time on them. Another ten minutes and his express breakfast was already in his stomach – he knew it wasn't healthy to eat too quickly but it had become a habit – and he was ready to leave.

Well, almost. How stupid would have he looked if he had forgotten his bag on the very first day of school?

'_Very stupid.'_

In any case, at 7.38 am sharp he stepped outside the building and headed for the university. The weather was still summer-ish yet not too uncomfortably hot, which was perfect for Yuri. The street was already buzzing with activity, filled with people getting their first coffee of the day in the pubs or buying the newspapers or running to catch their buses. Yuri shrugged and put on his earphones. Music covered all the surrounding noises and cut him off from the outside world.

As he walked near the school, he didn't even notice all the other students wearing the same uniform as him and calling out to each other, then chatting happily together after not seeing during the whole summer. Though he was entering his second year of university, Yuri didn't expect anyone to call his name for the simple reason that he didn't know anyone there, having moved to this city only two weeks ago. Ah well, his previous university was crap anyway.

At 7.47am he was at the entrance of the school grounds. The campus wasn't small but it was definitely not big, and Yuri had been pleased to see so many trees and grass there the time he had walked by the place. Stepping inside, he merely followed the flow of students – and the signs – to the conference room which was already almost full. At a first glance, he counted around two thousand seats, which was about a fifth of the size of his previous university. Oh well, fewer people meant fewer chances to meet stupid people.

Yuri spotted a seat not too far from the exit and decided it was a perfect – and strategic – place. The music still on, he leant against the back of the chair, crossed his legs, put his hands in his pockets and waited. At some point he smirked mentally, not missing how the girls would glance quickly at him while whispering something to their friends. His good looks was something he was very well aware of, even though he never made any particular effort to look attractive; he was merely born that way and he had to admit it was sometimes quite troublesome, especially when facing some particularly clinging girls.

At 8.12 am, a voice finally echoed from the big speakers in the conference room, and silence gradually fell. Yuri removed his earphones and his eyes moved to the front scene where he could see vaguely someone speaking in a microphone.

'_Let's hope the guy knows how to make a non-soporific speech.'_

Unfortunately for him, the speech turned out to be as boring as what he had feared. He yawned several times, which earned him the chuckles of the people sitting around him. After what seemed to be an eternity, there was a round of applause, telling Yuri that the speech was finally over.

"And now, all of you are invited to the gymnasium for the welcome buffet!"

It was the only signal needed for the beasts to be unleashed. Even if Yuri knew perfectly well that students only obeyed to their stomach, he still found it unbelievable how the mere mention of free food could stir such enthusiasm among them. Being seated near the exit, he didn't have many troubles making his way out. Now the question was: to leave or not to leave?

Basically there were no classes on that day. After the buffet, there was supposed to be some presentation of the school grounds for the first years by the student union and whatnot, and then some activities to 'get to know each other better'. A bore for Yuri. He pondered for a few seconds before deciding that free food wasn't such a bad thing after all; he could still leave afterwards.

Once again he followed everyone to the gymnasium and was barely able to hide his surprise at the sight of the many tables which had been placed there, all covered with hundreds of glasses, drinks and plates of appetizing snacks.

Well at least his morning wasn't completely wasted.

* * *

><p>"Flynn!" a female voice called.<p>

Letting out a small sigh, Flynn turned round and smiled at the group of girls who were running to him while waving enthusiastically at him.

"Flynn! How were your holidays? Did you have fun? Where did you go? What did you do? We missed you! A pity you couldn't come with us to the sea!" They started harassing him with questions.

'_A pity? A blessing, you mean!'_ Flynn kept smiling out of politeness though deep inside, he was already getting annoyed by those girls. During his first year at the university, half the female population had openly declared their adoration for him and the other half merely admired him silently, to his utmost distress.

Of course, such popularity didn't make him much appreciated among his male comrades, but his seriousness and excellence in about every aspect of school life had forced respect and softened the edges a bit.

"Which courses did you pick for this period? I hope we will be in the same class for some courses at least!" One of the girls asked, grabbing Flynn's arm. "I'll change my courses if I'm not!"

"You should pick your courses according to what you wish to study, not because some other people picked them." Flynn replied nicely, freeing his arm as diplomatically as he could. The girl pouted and nodded.

Flynn had given up on trying to understand how those girls' brains were functioning, and sometimes he wished he was dumb and stupid for the sole reason of having some peace. He needed an excuse to get away from them.

"Oh! I just remembered that I forgot to take something." he lied. "Please go ahead without me."

"Oh no, really? But you're lucky to leave nearby. We can wait for you here!"

"That won't be necessary." Flynn replied with his most charming smile. "You should go to the conference room and get good seats."

"We'll keep one for you!"

But Flynn had already walked off in the opposite direction. When he was far enough, he stopped and let out a new sigh. He wondered for a moment if he'd be able to survive another year like that. Maybe he could ask for a transfer.

'_That'd be stupid. It'd be the same no matter where I go. Anyway, I should go back now, or I'll be late.'_

As he turned round to go back to the school, he spotted a mass of long, dark hair a bit farther ahead; but what actually caught his attention was that the uniform was a male one. Which guy nowadays would keep their hair that long? Did he think he was a popstar? Flynn shook his head, ignoring it. It wasn't his business after all.

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><p>Even though Flynn would never admit it out loud, he found the entrance speech as boring as the one given on the previous year. Fortunately he had arrived a bit late and the only seats left were at the back of the conference room where he could yawn without being seen too much. After the speech was over, the famished crowd rushed to the gymnasium with a speed that kept amazing Flynn. He waited patiently for most of the students to leave before exiting the room himself.<p>

Outside, he was caught up with by some boys from the same year as him and they made their ways together to the gymnasium while talking about their holidays and other random topics.

"You're damn lucky to be so popular with girls, Flynn!" one of the boys patted Flynn on his back.

"I don't think you can call that 'luck' actually..." he replied sullenly.

"Are you kidding? I'd kill to get one of those chicks to go out with me!" another boy went on. "Speaking of which, why do you still have no girlfriend? Too many choices?"

"I'm just not interested, that's all." Flynn replied, not really liking the topic.

"Geez, you're really picky."

"As I said, it's not that. I just don't..."

"Woah guys! There are already way too many people inside! Come on! Let's make our way to the buffet!"

Flynn thanked the buffet mentally for distracting the thoughts of his comrades. Then he suddenly got the temptation to skip the buffet and go back home.

"Flynn, come on! There won't be anything left to eat if you don't hurry!"

'_I guess I can survive staying here for the buffet.'_ he sighed mentally, following the other boys.

As he reached the tables, he noticed someone actually going in the opposite direction, _away_ from the tables, which was already a surprise by itself; but what surprised him again was that it was the very same boy with long hair he had seen earlier from far. This time also, the boy had his back to him and had almost reached the gymnasium's exit door.

So he wasn't the only one who wanted to leave the place, was he?

And then, a sudden impulse to follow the long-haired boy seized him and Flynn quickly elbowed his way through the crowd while apologizing, then ran after the boy.

"Excuse me!" he called out as he caught up to him. When the other one turned round with questioning eyes, Flynn couldn't help but be slightly surprised as he saw his face. He wasn't an expert in that area, but he was smart enough to guess that such a face had to be pretty popular among girls. But then, he noticed the boy's neglected way of dressing – especially the loose tie and the open collar – and frowned slightly. Flynn disliked those kinds of negligence.

"Yes?" the other asked a bit impatiently.

"Oh, hm..." Flynn almost wanted to hit himself. What was he supposed to say? That he saw him leaving and wanted to say he approved of the decision? That sounded stupid. He improvised.

"Hello, my name's Flynn Scifo, I'm a second year." he held out his hand.

Taken aback for a second, the other boy didn't react immediately, but then he held out his hand as well and shook hand with Flynn.

"Yuri Lowell. Second year as well." he replied.

It was Flynn's turn to be surprised. First, because he didn't expect his voice to be that deep – maybe because of the long hair? – and second because he didn't expect him to be a second year.

"Are you new here?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just moved in two weeks ago."

"Oh, then I hope you'll find it to your liking here." Flynn replied with a smile.

"Me too. And you should go back. Your fan-club is calling you." Yuri motioned something behind Flynn with a faint smirk.

As Flynn turned round, exasperation seized him. The girls from before were waving at him while holding some plates of cakes in their hands.

"Flyyynn!" they called in unison.

"Good luck with them." Yuri said as he started walking away, looking pretty amused.

Luck was something that seemed to have deserted him a long time ago, Flynn thought.

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><p><strong> And chapter 1 is done!<strong>


	2. September 2nd

**September 2****nd**

Working at night never helped Yuri waking up easily in the morning, and today was no exception. Well at least he had managed to arrive on time for his first class, after ten whole minutes looking for the lecture hall. Even if the campus wasn't big, there were very few or no signs, and no map. He let his bag fall at his feet and dropped unceremoniously on the chair while waiting for the lecturer to come; the room was already almost full with students chatting together.

"Hi! Can I sit there?" a girl asked Yuri, pointing to the seat next to him.

"Sure." he replied nonchalantly. He didn't even bother looking at her, yet the latter didn't give up. As soon as she was seated, she tried starting a conversation:

"My name's Millie. Are you new here? I'm pretty sure I never saw you last year."

Yuri sighed mentally. Was everyone going to ask him the same question whenever they saw him?

"Yeah, I just arrived here. Pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, where do you come from?"

Now that was a question Yuri definitely disliked, but his insolent luck saved him as the door opened and the lecturer came in. Yuri raised an eyebrow when he saw the man who walked in. He definitely didn't look like a lecturer, more like some sort of lab scientist who obviously lacked sleep. _'Well at least that makes one thing we have in common.'_ he thought.

The man had messy dark gray hair tied into a not-less-messy sort of ponytail and the long coat he was wearing made Yuri wonder if the guy had any notions of 'season' whatsoever.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, but especially you ladies!" The man winked at some girls with a broad smile. "My name's Raven Schwann and I'm glad to see you in my class today! I hope you won't desert half-way like many of your predecessors did before you." he added with a joking tone, which resulted in chuckles, snorts and various other sounds Yuri failed at identifying. "Anyway! Let's not waste more time and start our first lesson! _Sciences and civilizations_, ladies and gentlemen..."

Yuri tried his best to listen and even take a few notes during the lecture though he had some doubts about the man's integrity, especially towards the female population. Well, at least Yuri had to admit he was kind of fun. The two hours of lectures passed pretty quickly and soon enough, Yuri was on his way to his next class, which was...

"... Project management."

Yuri turned his head to where the voice came from and saw the same guy from the day before – Flynn, wasn't it? – walking in the same direction as him, escorted by several girls who were obviously trying to get all his attention.

"Oh, really? I should have picked that course as well, it sounded interesting!"

"I picked it! We'll be in the same class!"

"Yes, we will." Flynn replied with a smile.

Yuri smirked as he noticed the faint signs of annoyance on Flynn's face and pondered whether to help him or not, since he could sympathize very easily with him.

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><p>Flynn Scifo was a well-versed master in the arts of keeping his cool and not letting his real thoughts get visible; it was almost natural for him to keep smiling and be courteous towards everyone, even if they annoyed him to no end. It was also his daily routine to have girls flocking around him and insisting on accompanying him to his classes as if they feared something bad could happen on his way. And today was no exception.<p>

"Flyyyynn! What class do you have now?"

"Hi, Linda. I'm on my way to Project management." Flynn replied with a gracious smile.

"Oh, really? I should have picked that course as well, it sounded interesting!"

"I picked it! We'll be in the same class!"

"Yes, we will." Flynn cursed his luck.

And yet, it seemed that Lady Luck hadn't forsaken him completely, for the next second, an arm wrapped around his shoulders while a voice rose next to him:

"Oooh Flynn! What a pleasure to see you again! So you're taking that course too, huh? I guess that means we'll be together then!"

It didn't take long for Flynn to identify his saviour, even if he wasn't very comfortable with such a close contact with someone he barely knew.

"Y-Yuri! Yes indeed, we will." he replied a bit awkwardly. He heard some protests from the girls behind him, but Yuri reacted very quickly and turned to them and gave them his nicest smile:

"Hey I'm borrowing him for a while. I'm new here and he promised me to show me around so I don't get lost. You don't mind right?" he added with a wink.

"Ah, n-no of course not! W-We'll see you later, Flynn!" the girls blushed slightly and hurried to their respective classes.

Before Flynn could even say anything, Yuri had removed his arm and was now smirking.

"You owe me one." he said, sounding very satisfied.

Flynn frowned. What kind of attitude was that? Definitely not one he approved of.

"I never asked for your help." he replied dryly.

"Oh come on, a little thanks would have been enough. Not that I need it, anyway."

"And please, refrain from acting so familiar with me next time." Flynn went on, completely ignoring the other's remark.

"Ah, I see. Mr Perfect Boy doesn't want low-ranked people to touch his Majesty." Yuri teased him, which wasn't to Flynn's taste.

"I simply think we aren't close enough for you to treat me so familiarly."

"Fine, fine. I got it. Is that our lecture hall?"

"Yes, it is."

Not paying any further attention to Yuri anymore, Flynn went to sit at the front row, which was usually deserted by most students. It was the only way for him to avoid having undesirable people sitting next to him. To his relief, Yuri didn't follow him and moved to the back of the room. Flynn was usually pretty tolerant, yet the other boy had managed to irritate him within barely two days. It was a record.

Hopefully he wouldn't have to deal with him again.

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><p>As soon as he came back home, Flynn dropped on the sofa and let out a loud sigh. He wondered for the hundredth time what the hell he had done in his past life to deserve such bad luck.<p>

To pass the project management course, the students were required to do several assignments in pairs. Naturally the pairs had been decided randomly. Naturally the one Flynn had been paired with was none other than Yuri Lowell. Naturally Flynn was in a rather bad mood for the rest of the day.

This was going to be a tough period for Flynn. Fortunately it was Friday, which meant that weekend was coming and that he would have two days to recover from the accumulation of misfortunes, before starting a new week.

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><p>Yuri whistled as he dropped his bag on the floor and stretched his arms. He looked at his watch. He still had two hours before going to work, which meant one hour and forty-five minutes to sleep and fifteen minutes to have dinner.<p>

Working at night wasn't his favourite activity, but at least they paid more. Still, it wasn't enough to cover for all his expenses, and that's why he also had to work on weekends as well. Well, he was used to such a life, and it was actually not so bad. At least, he never had time to get bored.

And with that last philosophical thought in mind, he put his alarm clock on – just in case –, fell flat on his bed and dozed off, trying not to laugh too much at the face he imagined Flynn must have made when they were announced they'd be paired together.

It was going to be a fun period.

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><p><strong>AN:** And another day done. Damn this pairing, making me spend my time writing it instead of studying D:


	3. September 3rd and 4th

**A/N: **Huh... is the story that bad so far? Because having so many hits and yet 0 reviews makes me wonder if what I'm writing is actually complete crap. If it is, do say so and I'll stop sharing it...

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><p><strong>September 3<strong>**rd**** and 4****th**

Flynn put down his bow and violin in their case before standing up and stretching his arms. He had been playing the whole morning without even realizing it, as always; and now noon was approaching as his stomach reminded him. He pondered for a few seconds before deciding to order some Italian food. His culinary talents being close to none, it was safer that way.

Picking up his phone, he dialed the number – which he knew by heart now – and placed his order before hanging up. What could he do to kill time while waiting for his lunch to be delivered? He thought of playing the violin a bit more, but his fingers felt somehow pretty tired by now; well, even if he had only had one day of school, there were already some assignments to do, and the earlier he started, the better it was.

Speaking of assignments, the blonde boy was reminded once again that he'd have to work together with that other guy whose carefree behaviour had already managed to annoy him. Flynn tried to convince himself that it was still better than being paired with one of those clinging girls, and well, he didn't know Yuri well enough to assess his true character. His naturally patient temper had always helped him deal with any kind of situations, after all.

He'd deal with Yuri Lowell with no problem.

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><p>Yuri sneezed and frowned. He hadn't caught a cold, had he? Shaking his head, he picked another glass and cleaned it dry, then put it on the shelf with the others. A glance around him showed him the presence of only a few customers here and there. Well, it was only 11.30 am after all. But people would soon arrive for lunch, and the kitchen would start having their hands busy preparing the dishes as quickly as possible.<p>

The bar-restaurant he was working at was pretty popular in the city, and there was always a rush at meal times, especially on weekends. Yuri and the other staff members were used to it, and it was actually rather entertaining to take part to the big mess which was the kitchen at lunch and dinner times. At first, Yuri had only been hired as a part-timer to serve at the bar and do the cleaning; yet after the manager had tasted his cooking once, he had offered him to help for the dishes preparation as well, which Yuri had accepted gladly for two reasons: he enjoyed cooking a lot and it meant more income for him.

Naturally it also meant less time for studies, but since he had never strived to be top of the school, the little amount of work he provided was just enough for him to pass. So far, at least. The coming year seemed to be more demanding, especially that course, Project management for which he had assignments to hand in every week.

Yuri chuckled as he remembered who he had been paired with. Even if it was only a coincidence, he couldn't help but think that fate had somehow decided to poke its nose in. Well, Flynn seemed to be the hard-working type, which was perfectly fine to Yuri. Of course he didn't plan to let his partner do the entire job, but it was a good point that he hadn't ended up with a slacker.

"Hey Yuri, when you're done cleaning the glasses, you can go help the others in the kitchen."

"Yes boss!" the boy replied, imitating a military salute, which earned him a small smack on the head.

"And stop calling me 'boss', you idiot!" the manager replied, laughing. "By the way, university started, right? My daughter's in too, 'tis her first year there."

"Yeah, classes started yesterday. And I already want to be on holidays."

"Heh, of course you want. By the way, is it still OK for you to work here while studying? I mean, do you have enough time for both?"

"Yeah, not much choice anyway. Money doesn't fall off trees." Yuri shrugged. "I'm used to it, nothing to be bothered about."

"If you say so. And everyone here would miss your cooking if you were to leave." the manager patted Yuri on the back. "Now stop slacking and go to the kitchen! Customers are coming."

"Yeah, yeah, right away, boss!" Yuri replied, running to the kitchen while dodging the tea towel aimed at him.

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><p>Sunday evening wasn't less crowded than on the previous day.<p>

"Yuri, hurry up! Three lagers for table 11!"

"Coming right away!"

Like an expert, Yuri prepared the beers and within a minute, he was heading to table 11 with his tray on one hand.

"Three lagers for these gentlemen!" he said, putting down the glasses on the table. As he headed back to the kitchen, a glimpse of blonde hair caught his attention and he glanced briefly towards that direction. A smirked formed on his lips.

'_Now, now. Look at who we have here. Didn't think he was the kind of guy to come here. Unless it's a date? Wonder how the chick looks like. Poor fan-club will be heart-broken.'_ Yuri thought with amusement. He hesitated a bit as for whether to greet his new customer or not, then decided against the idea. It's not like they were best friends or anything close to it after all. _'And his Majesty forbade me from acting familiarly with him.'_

Oh well, they'd see each other often enough thanks to those assignments anyway.

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><p>Flynn had never tried that restaurant before; first because it wasn't particularly close to his flat, and second because it was a <em>bar<em>-restaurant where people usually smoked, drank beers and made too much noise to his taste. Yet today, as he stood in front of the entrance door, he had decided to ignore those points.

He hadn't been particularly busy on that weekend, and had decreed that having a walk around the city centre wasn't a bad idea while the weather was still warm and the days were still long. He ended up walking for way longer than what he had planned, and by the time he noticed it, it was already quite late in the evening, and it was dinner time. Shrugging, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

With some surprise, he noticed that it wasn't as noisy as what he had imagined, and there was a clear sign forbidding people from smoking inside. A waiter came to him and showed him to an empty seat before handing him the menu. Not willing to waste his time choosing, he merely picked the dish of the day and smiled absent-mindedly when the waiter told him that it was an excellent choice as the dish was prepared by their newest recruit and that the said recruit was a real gourmet cook. Flynn doubted it since it was only a mere pub, though the presence of many customers convinced him that the food couldn't be too bad.

...

It was delicious. Simply delicious. Flynn emptied his plate to the last bit, pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meal. Maybe he'd come back there for some take-away dishes; even the prices were more than reasonable.

He paid the bill then left the restaurant, unaware of the pair of amused eyes watching him do so.

"You know him?" a waitress asked Yuri.

"Met him at the university." the latter replied.

"Is that so? You know what he told me when I went to pick up his plate? He said to congratulate the cook because it was one of the best dishes he's ever eaten! So, congratulations, Yuri!"

"I know, I know, I'm the best cook of the city and people fight to eat what I make. No need to state the obvious." Yuri said with a falsely pompous tone.

"Oh, man, you're hopeless. D'you think you could introduce him to me? He's a cutie!"

Yuri laughed.

"Don't even try. Mr Perfect already has a whole army of fans ready to kill to get his heart."

"No way! Damn, that sucks..."

"And you're too old for him anyway." Yuri added, already running away.

"You little...! I'm two years older than you!" the girl replied, pretending to look very offended.

"Hey both of you! If you have time to play, better take care of the customers!" the manager shouted at them.

"Yes boss!"

For Yuri, it was another day which ended well, like many others. As time passed, he had learnt to cherish each of those days. After all, who knew when something bad would happen?

**Tbc.**


	4. September 5th

**September 5****th**

Yuri was glad he didn't have any class on the first period on that Monday, for it meant more sleep for him. The only class he had in the morning was Project management, which reminded him that he had his first assignment due for the end of the week**. **Well, he and Flynn had. As Yuri stepped into the lecture hall, he spotted the blonde boy talking to the lecturer – probably about the assignments. Shrugging, he made his way to the back rows and picked a seat next to a group of boys who were chatting rather loudly about something Yuri couldn't hear because of his earphones.

Having his earphones on was his way of telling the others that he didn't want to be addressed; however, a few minutes later, when someone who was none other than Flynn walked to him and sat right next to him, Yuri had the intuition that it wasn't only for the joy of his company. He turned off the music and put the earphones in his pocket, before turning to Flynn:

"Not sitting at the front row today? I guess it's not the best place to choose when you want to sleep, after all." he said as a greeting, but Flynn remained impassive and merely replied:

"We need to talk about how to organize ourselves for the assignments, and sitting at the front row isn't the best way to communicate with you."

"I guess it's a good reason. So, what do you suggest for the assignments?"

"First of all, we need to find free time on our schedules to work together. Care to show me yours?"

They hadn't even started working and Yuri was already feeling bored by it, yet he managed not to express it too openly since it was obvious that Flynn was making a lot of effort to even talk to him. During the few minutes they had left before the class started, Flynn checked all their availabilities and soon enough, Yuri's own schedule looked painfully dense from all the meeting sessions they had planned.

"Wait, are you sure we'll need to meet that often?" he asked, perplexed. "Or is it that you simply want to spend all your free time in my humble company?" he joked.

As expected, Flynn glared at him before replying dryly:

"Please don't flatter yourself too much. I'm only doing what I think is necessary to pass."

"Relax, I was just joking. Damn, you really need to loosen up, you know."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear your piece of advice. And here. That's my phone number, just in case." Flynn added, handing him a piece of paper. "But please, keep it for yourself."

"Scared that I'd give your number to your fan-club? Nah, no way I'd be crazy enough to do that." Yuri paused, then: "I'll put it to auction. That'll be way more profitable."

"Yuri! I'm being serious here."

Before Yuri had time to reply, however, another student interrupted them.

"Hey Flynn, just to remind you that the concert this year will be on the 14th. You're still in?" he asked.

"Of course." the blonde boy replied.

"Great! The next rehearsal is on Wednesday, usual time, usual place. We're counting on you then!"

"I'll be there." Flynn replied with a smile.

Behind them, a few girls who had unfortunately heard the conversation started squealing and getting all excited by the news:

"Oooh you'll play at the concert again, Flynn? That's great, we loved your performance last year!" one girl exclaimed.

"I wish I could be part of the orchestra too, but I can't play any instrument." another one sighed.

"We'll all come to see you play!" a third one added.

Ignoring Yuri's silent laughter, Flynn merely nodded and replied as politely as he could:

"I thank you for your support, but I'm not the only one playing. The whole orchestra is composed by a lot of talented musicians."

"We know that, but you're the best one among them all!" the girls said in unison, loudly enough for the entire class to hear.

"Ladies, I'm sure Mr Scifo here is deeply touched by all your praises and everything, but now if you'll excuse us, we have some more important things at hand." the lecturer cut them in. "A Project management class, for example. So I'll be grateful if you could take a seat now and focus on today's lesson."

All the male students – except Flynn and Yuri – laughed while the girls started sulking as they took place silently behind the two boys. The lecture started, but it only took Yuri a mere five minutes to completely lose focus.

"What's that concert thingie?" he asked Flynn with a low voice. The other slightly turned his head and replied with an equally low voice:

"It's the entrance school concert. Any students who want can join the orchestra to play. And there's a firework on that day also."

"What instrument do you play?"

"The violin."

'_So that increases the number of qualities of his Majesty by one. No wonder all the girls are head over heels for him.'_ Yuri thought, amused. By the little he had seen of Flynn so far, he assumed that the latter was probably the pampered son of a rich family, brought up with a high level of education and taught to be perfect since his earliest childhood. The thought made Yuri chuckle silently.

But wait... if that was the case, then what was Flynn doing in such a university? Even if it wasn't a particularly bad one, it was definitely not one of the best schools of the country. One would have expected someone like him to enter a prestigious university; it'd have been easy for him to do so.

Yuri was suddenly itching to ask the question, but now wasn't really the moment, no matter how bored by the lecture he was. Next to him, Flynn was taking notes and looked very attentive, which didn't surprise Yuri the least bit.

The two hours of lecture passed at an incredibly slow pace for Yuri, and he let out a sigh of relief when his watched showed twelve o'clock. The class was over, students were packing and leaving the room and Yuri was about to do the same when he was stopped by Flynn:

"Are you coming to the cafeteria for lunch? We can discuss what to do for the first assignment while eating." he suggested.

"No sorry, dude. I brought my own food. And honestly, after two soporific hours of lectures, I'd like to enjoy my one hour of break a bit." Yuri replied. He expected the other student to insist; yet the answer he received wasn't even quite close to it:

"You can cook? Almost no one here brings their own food, since there're the cafeteria and the restaurant."

Was it a hint of admiration Yuri heard in Flynn's voice? He doubted so.

"Well guess what? Not everyone can afford the meals served here, and since I'm not too bad at cooking myself, I might as well enjoy it. Anyway, see you later. Oh, and don't worry about your phone number. I was just joking earlier."

Grabbing his bag, he headed for the exit without looking back while Flynn blinked in surprise.

* * *

><p>Yuri had found a nice spot outside, right under a tree and a bit remote so there wasn't too much noise reaching his ears. Unpacking his lunch box, he congratulated himself mentally for his cooking skills which saved him the trouble of going through half an hour of queue at the university restaurant – and some money as well.<p>

The rest of the day passed without any particularly noticeable event, save for a few girls trying to hit on him, as usual; and as usual, Yuri played along with them simply for fun while making them clearly understand that his heart wasn't for them.

He simply couldn't bother having a relationship with such superficial and frivolous creatures which would probably dump him as soon as they found someone else worthier of their attentions.

It was late afternoon by the time he left the university and started walking back home. As he put a hand in his pocket to grab his earphones, he felt a piece of paper at the bottom and picked it out. Oh, Flynn's number. A question suddenly crossed his mind: how many people had had the privilege of having his Majesty's number? Probably not many, which placed Yuri among the VIP circle.

Oh well. After the course was over, Flynn would most likely not bother with him anymore. Two people with so many differences couldn't possible become friends, could they?

Yuri clenched his fist unconsciously. No, it was better for him if they didn't become friends.

For him, and for Flynn.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** No matter how much I try, I just can't help but add angst in my stories eventually. And this one won"t be an exception... XD Anyway, it's cool that some people are interested in this story :]


	5. September 6th

**September 6th**

_An insane laugh followed by screams. Children running everywhere, probably calling for adults. Everything's blurry yet very clear in Yuri's mind. He's fighting against that brat again. Fists are flying and kicks are landing. There are voices shouting and screaming, but Yuri doesn't really make out the sounds; he's too busy trying to make the other one bite the dust._

_But then adult arms grip him and force him to separate from his opponent, and he can hear that insane laugh one more time, followed by those words:_

"_All those who pretend to be your buddies will regret it! You hear me, Lowell? I'll make them regret it!"_

_And again, that laugh before the grown-ups take the boy away, and the last thing Yuri sees of him is his flaming pink hair._

Yuri's eyes snapped open, and a second later, his face was displaying a frown. The dream was already fading away yet he simply couldn't forget that pink hair or that laugh, no matter what. He sat up on his bed and rubbed his eyes.

The dream was bringing him back many years ago, when he was still living in that orphanage. Naturally, fights between the kids were a daily occurrence but Yuri still remembered that particularly troublesome boy who would always pick fights with him whenever he could and for whatever reason, though most of the time he never had any reason at all.

Well, that was a long time ago. Yuri glanced at his watch and sighed. There was still an hour before his usual waking hour, but Yuri wasn't feeling very sleepy anymore; therefore he decided to get up anyway and use the extra time he had to have a look at the instructions of his first assignment. He was supposed to meet with Flynn at the library after their morning class and though he didn't particularly care about having good grades, he didn't really want to look like a tourist either.

Unfortunately, after a mere fifteen minutes, the instructions had managed to get the better of him and he decided that it would be wiser to leave the thinking to Flynn after all. For now he chose to do what he did best: lie on his bed with music on his ears. Time always passed more quickly than he wanted whenever he listened to music, and soon enough, it was already time to get ready for university.

And then he suddenly remembered that Flynn had given him his phone number. _'I should probably send him a message so he has mine too.'_ Just in case. He would erase the number as soon as the course was over anyway.

* * *

><p>'<em>Here's my number.'<em>

Flynn shoved his phone in his pocket, shaking his head. The sender was undoubtedly Yuri but the latter could have at least signed the message. What if it had been one of his numerous stalkers? Well, the probability was low, but still. His phone rang again.

'_Sorry, forgot to say it's Yuri.'_

And for some reason, Flynn couldn't help but chuckle. He typed a reply, then grabbed his bag and his violin case and left for school.

* * *

><p>'<em>I had guessed so, Yuri.'<em>

The long-haired boy shrugged and kept walking, ignoring the dog barking behind the door or the cars honking behind the bus or even the kids running to catch each other while the mother was telling them to stop. This town was definitely more animated than the one where he had spent most of his life; still, for him it was only useless bustle.

He didn't even pay attention to the small group of students across the street heading for the university; until one of them suddenly waved at him energetically and crossed the street to run towards him. Yuri cocked an eyebrow, not recognizing the face at all.

"Hello Yuri! My name's Martha, we're in the same Science and Civilisations course!"

"Oh yeah, we are! I saw you the other day." he replied, lying blatantly and removing one of his earphones.

"Cool! Say... I have a request from you. Would it be possible for you to... hm, how to put this?" the girl paused a moment, looking for words.

"Skip the subtlety or diplomacy or whatever, if that can help you." Yuri replied with a smile.

"Oh, OK. Well, you see that girl over there?" Martha went on, pointing at one of the students of the group. "She's the very shy type, and we've all been trying to convince her to talk to you, though she noticed you since our first class together. I'm not saying you should start something with her or anything like that!" she added quickly as she saw Yuri's perplexed face. "Just that maybe it'd be nice if you could say hi to her to prompt her to talk to you a bit."

Yuri glanced at the said girl who was being teased by her comrades and the first he noticed was her hair – pale pink hair. Their gazes crossed for half a second before the girl quickly turned her head away.

"So, could you?"

Honestly, Yuri was very tempted to decline the offer as the thought of getting involved with a girl was completely beyond him; but it didn't look like Martha was going to take 'no' as an answer. Therefore he merely shrugged and grinned:

"Yeah sure, I can try!"

"Great!" Martha exclaimed as she grabbed his arm and dragged him to her friends.

'_Joy. What did I do to deserve that?'_ Yuri sighed mentally. Well, if the girl was as shy as it seemed she was, the conversation would quickly be over. At least he hoped so.

* * *

><p>At 4 pm, Flynn was by the library's entrance, his back against the wall and his arms crossed, expecting Yuri to be late for some reason. However, not even two minutes after, he saw the other boy hurrying to him after saying goodbye to some random girls. He recognized the one with pale pink hair – Estellise was her name, he believed. Yuri told her something, and she shook her head furiously, visibly embarrassed. Seriously, if it weren't for the uniform, Yuri's long hair would make him easily mistake for a girl, even if his traits were definitely boyish. Flynn assumed it was only one more way to attract girls.<p>

A womanizer, huh? Well, Flynn should have guessed so. With such looks, of course the girls tended to flock naturally to him. The blonde boy shook his head mentally; no matter how much he had tried, he simply couldn't act like Yuri acted with girls, namely flirt with them.

"Hey Flynn! Sorry for the wait." Yuri greeted him, interrupting his thoughts. "Let's go?"

"Sure. I've booked a study room for the next two hours." Flynn replied as he showed the way in.

"Study room? What's that?"

Flynn remembered suddenly that it was Yuri's first year at this university and that he probably didn't anything about the school's functioning.

"You can book study rooms if you want some quiet places to work. Just register on one of the computers with your library card number. You can ask one at the reception."

"So it'll be a tête-à-tête between you and me? Oh come on, don't pull that face! I was just joking. By the way, is that your violin?" Yuri pointed at the case Flynn was holding.

"Yes. I have a rehearsal for the school concert this evening. The study room is this way."

A minute later, both boys were sitting at a table in a small yet comfortable room with a large window to let in natural light. Flynn produced a pile of papers from his bag and displayed them on the table; under Yuri's discreetly horrified look.

"Here are a few notes I took for the first assignment. Given the instructions, I think what we should do is..."

A long afternoon started for Yuri, though he tried his best to remain focused and get involved even if he wasn't able to suppress several yawns. It seemed to annoy Flynn but the latter chose to remain silent about it, despite the hint of exasperation that could be heard in his voice.

"... take care of this part. Are you fine with that?" Flynn asked after a while.

"Yeah." Yuri replied flatly. "It's gonna be a pain but I'll have it done by tomorrow."

"Perfect. Oh, and I was thinking, since this assignment is due for Friday, it could be nice if we could meet shortly on Thursday afternoon to finalize it and make sure we didn't forget any-"

"No. I don't have time on Thursday." Yuri interrupted him.

"You don't? Do you have evening classes?"

"No, but I work. Boss will kill me if I'm late." the long-haired boy replied flatly.

"Work? Do you even have time for that? I don't know how it was in your previous university but here, even if the schedules look light, you always a lot of stuff to do at home."

"Hey, food doesn't fall in my plate magically you know."

"What about your parents? Can't they support you?"

"Never met them."

"Oh..." Flynn didn't know what to say at that instant, but Yuri merely gave a pat on his back before adding cheerfully:

"Don't worry about that, I'm pretty much used to dealing with a busy schedule. I'll have my part of the assignment done by tomorrow."

"O-OK then. Well, I guess we can call it a day? I need to go to my rehearsal soon anyway."

"You won't find me saying no to that." Yuri replied with a grin as he started packing his stuff.

"I'll see you tomorrow in class then."

As they parted ways, Flynn couldn't help but glance once again at his classmate, still confused about what the latter had said earlier. Well, he didn't seem particularly unhappy to live without his parents, and he probably didn't need anyone to pity him for that. And it wasn't like having parents was any better.

In Flynn's case, at least.

Dismissing the thought, the blonde boy headed for the rehearsal room.

* * *

><p>It was late at night when Yuri put down his pencil and stretched his arms. He wasn't completely done, but his brain wouldn't allow him to do any more than that. Flynn would probably be displeased, but it wasn't as if Yuri hadn't done anything, was it?<p>

He yawned, deciding that he really didn't care at all about what Flynn would think and left his desk for what he assessed was the most comfortable place of the world: his bed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Exams are over \o/ But no update until next week because I'll be away to Helsinki 3


	6. September 7th to 11th

**September 7****th**** – 11****th**

"Yo Flynn!" Without adding another word, Yuri flopped down on the chair next to his classmate and yawned.

"You, sitting at the first row? I wouldn't have imagined you were so brave." Flynn said with a very diplomatic tone.

"Is that sarcasm I hear? Well, I thought it wasn't a good idea to sit behind to communicate with you." Yuri imitated the blonde boy.

"Indeed. So, did you manage to have anything done?"

"Yeah, I'm not completely finished though. Here, have a look." Yuri handed out his notes.

As Flynn skimmed through them, Yuri merely remained silent, his eyes not leaving the blonde boy's face. In spite of himself, he started analysing those traits that had earned him the adoration of most of the female population of the school; from an objective point of view, even Yuri had to admit that Flynn's fan-club had good tastes, especially when including Flynn's numerous other qualities.

'_Mr Perfect, all high-and-mighty.'_ Yuri smirked mentally. _'Probably pampered in a palace of crystal.'_

"It looks pretty good to me." Flynn's voice interrupted the flow of Yuri's thoughts. "I'd change a few details here and there, but everything looks fine globally."

"Really?" Yuri asked, truly shocked. The last thing he had expected was for Flynn to actually approve of his work. Flynn looked at him, slightly surprised.

"Yes, really. I'll just complete your part and that should be fine. Do you think what you did is that bad?"

"Yeah, I mean no! I reckoned you'd be the one to think it's crap."

"Why would I think so? Yuri, what exactly do you think I am?"

"Some sort of strict, perfectionist guy?" Yuri made a guess, shrugging.

Before Flynn could reply anything, he was stopped by the lecturer who stepped into the class. Well, Yuri wasn't completely wrong, even if the way he had put it made it sound rather negative.

* * *

><p>As the class was over, both boys headed for the exit and to their next class; but before they parted ways, a voice rose in the corridor:<p>

"Yuri! Flynn!"

Yuri recognized the voice immediately and pulled a resigned face, which Flynn didn't fail to notice.

"That girl is way too loud for her own good." Yuri muttered before turning round and smiling at Martha and her friends who were all waving at him enthusiastically. Well, all but one. _'Still as shy as ever, that Estellise.'_ Yuri thought.

"I didn't know you guys are friends!" Martha exclaimed.

"We're not." Yuri replied immediately. "We just happen to work together, that's all." The next second, he realized that he had probably sounded too dry given the looks of surprise he received, and he added jokingly: "I mean, come on, there's no way a slacker like me could get along with someone as hard working as him, right Flynn?" he asked, giving the blonde boy a pat on the shoulder.

"Whatever you say, Yuri. Well, I'm off to my own class. See you around." Flynn replied with a neuter tone before walking away, only to be caught up with by another group of girls.

"See you, Flynn!" Martha and her friends waved at him, and Yuri wondered about the point of waving at someone who couldn't see it.

"Now Yuri, tell us how it feels to be Flynn's friend." Martha went on as the bunch of students walked to their lecture hall.

"As I said, we aren't friends." Yuri sighed. They were definitely not friends, and Yuri wouldn't want it otherwise. And suddenly, the memory of dark pink hair came back to him. Then there was that laugh which was always the signal that someone was going to be beaten up. And that someone was usually always related to Yuri.

That guy had been true to his word. '_I'll make them regret befriending you.'_

"And I'm sure he must have some other friends, right? You should ask them." Yuri added, dismissing the thought.

"Actually, not really, you know." another girl – Yuri had forgotten her name – replied. "I mean, yeah he does talk to the other guys but the fact that he's so... hm..."

"Perfect?" Estellise spoke for the first time, even if her voice wasn't much audible. The other girl laughed.

"Yeah, something like that. Well, the other guys probably just don't feel much at east around him. It's like Flynn's on another level."

"Oh yeah, I was wondering about that." Yuri interrupted her. "What the hell is he even doing in this university? I mean, there are way better ones than this one."

"About that..." Martha took a mysterious tone. "They're only rumours but I was told that there's something going on between him and his parents. Some sort of story about them not getting along and that Flynn refused to go to another university to annoy his parents."

Yuri cocked an eyebrow. Now that was something hard to believe, but if it was true, then that would mean that Mr Perfect wasn't as perfect as what he had imagined.

"But as I said, they're only rumours."

Well, it's not like Flynn's life was the centre of Yuri's interests anyway.

* * *

><p>On Thursday, Yuri caught a glimpse of Flynn farther away but as he was about to call him out, he noticed that the blonde boy was on the phone with a displeased expression on his face and chose not to bother him.<p>

On Friday morning, Yuri received a message from Flynn: _'Can we meet for lunch at the cafeteria to finalize the assignment?'_

Not that Yuri could really say no. He typed a reply with a small sigh. At 12, they met in front of the cafeteria and Yuri noticed that Flynn was carrying his violin again.

"Let's go grab something to eat first, then we can check if the report looks good or not." Flynn suggested, but Yuri shook his head, pointing at his bag.

"I bring my own lunch, remember?"

"Oh, right. Then could you save us seats and wait for me?"

Nodding, Yuri gave a look around the large – and rather noisy – room before spotting a free table. On his way there, he didn't miss the several expectant gazes he received from some girls, as usual. Ignoring them, he sat at the empty table and unpacked his lunch. It took Flynn a mere few minutes to join him with a tray of food. As he sat down, surprise painted on his face:

"It smells really good. You must be a great cook, Yuri."

"I manage somehow, but thanks for the compliment." the other boy replied with modesty, then, out of pure curiosity, he asked: "Is there something you like in particular?"

"Bolognese pasta. With a lot of pepper. Or anything with a lot of pepper, actually." was Flynn's immediate answer.

Yuri blinked once, then twice before bursting out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Flynn asked, frowning.

"Well, let's say I expected you to prefer something more... sophisticated?" Yuri replied after calming down.

"More sophisticated? What do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Well, if it's really nothing, I suggest we have lunch quickly so we can have a look at the assignment." Flynn replied dryly.

"Yeah, yeah." Flynn was so very easy to tease, Yuri thought with amusement.

* * *

><p>On Sunday evening, Yuri was in the kitchen of the restaurant, busy preparing food when he heard one of the waitresses calling him out:<p>

"Hey Yuri! Guess who's there!"

"The Queen of Sweden?" Yuri made a guess.

"Silly, it's your friend from university!"

"He's not my friend..." Yuri sighed. Why the hell did everyone keep thinking so?

"And he wants the dish of the day, so move your ass and get him one!"

"Don't give me orders, old woman!" Yuri feigned to throw a knife at the waitress who just stuck out her tongue before disappearing. "So that makes another curry beef."

"You'll have to redo some curry soon, we're almost out of it." another cook said.

"Yeah yeah, right away." Yuri replied, plunging a ladle in the big pot and pouring the preparation on a plate of rice. "Do we even have enough carrots and fresh mushrooms left?"

"Yeah, in the storage. Hey, aren't you putting too much pepper in this plate?"

"Don't worry, he likes it." Yuri replied with confidence, adding a generous amount of pepper to the plate.

"Yuri, hurry up! And you too, Marco!" the waitress urged him.

"There, it's done, old woman." Yuri replied as he put the plate on a tray.

"The name's Sally, you brat! Want me to say hello to your friend for you?"

"For God's sake, he's _not_ my friend, and no, I don't want to. Do that and I dye your hair pink."

"Fine, fine!" she replied, laughing.

Yuri didn't have any particular reason to hide the fact that he was working there, but he simply found it amusing that Flynn would come back for his cuisine.

Half an hour later, Sally called him out again:

"He said he's never eaten something that good." she said, laughing.

"Of course, I'm the one who made it after all." Yuri replied with a cocky smile.

And for some strange reason, even though it was not the first time someone said his cooking tasted great, Yuri felt truly happy at the praise.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N:** And back from Helsinki where prices are so high they go beyond science-fiction. Good thing that I was able to write this chapter on the ferry.


	7. September 12th and 13th

**September 12****th and 13th**

Yuri grabbed his bag, shoved his lunch box in it and paused for a few seconds, staring thoughtfully at the second box on the table. Then, shrugging, he shoved it inside the bag as well and headed out for his second week at the university. It was 9.45, which meant he still had fifteen minutes left before his project management class started; that was enough time for him not to hurry up. Not that he'd ever hurry up to go to school anyway.

The mere fact that he was following some curriculum was quite surprising in itself, given how he disliked those institutions where you always had to follow some rules and fulfil annoying requirements in order to be acknowledged. He often wondered why he was even bothering to attend school, yet the answer was quite simple: he was bored, and he couldn't simply make a living out of part-time jobs only. Therefore the solution came naturally; he had to get a degree somehow.

The orphanage had seen to it that all the children attended school until high school, and most of them usually stopped after that but Yuri, out of boredom, had decided to continue. Truth be told, he hadn't even thought about the major to pick and had ended up choosing the first one he had seen on the list.

Well, somehow school life wasn't that bad and the environment was quite different from the orphanage. At least there wasn't anyone to beat up any person who dared befriend him.

As he reached the entrance of the university, he spotted a familiar figure walking in front of him, not too far away.

Flynn was talking with two other students – male ones, surprisingly – and Yuri didn't have any trouble guessing the topic of the conversation as one of the students pointed at the violin case the blonde boy was holding. Yuri merely followed the small group to the lecture hall, looking at them absent-mindedly until something unexpected happened: Flynn laughed.

Yuri had already seen him smile – or pretend to – but it was the first time he actually saw him laugh. And for some reason, Yuri couldn't help but find it charming. Realizing his thought, he quickly shook his head. _'Of course, in order to be absolutely perfect, Mr Perfect must have a perfect laugh as well._'

On a closer look, Flynn looked pretty cheerful and Yuri wondered if it was music which was putting him in that good mood. Now that he thought about it, he had never inquired about Flynn playing the violin or about any of his hobbies. It wasn't like they had known each other for long enough to know each other's tastes.

Well, it wasn't like Yuri was particularly curious about them either. Yet, somehow, there was something within him which kept whispering at him that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to get to know Flynn better and – why not? – become his friend. Somehow, the reluctance he had to create relationships with people was fading a bit more every day under the argument that what belonged to the past couldn't influence his future.

Yuri shrugged. He had been used for too long not to be involved too deeply with anyone that it would be hard to give up on the habit.

* * *

><p>"So you're not feeling too stressed for the concert?" a first boy asked.<p>

"A bit, but I hope everything will be fine." Flynn replied with a smile. "We've been rehearsing quite a lot, so there shouldn't be too many problems."

"I remember last year's concert, it was awesome! I'm sure you'll do even better this year!" the second boy exclaimed enthusiastically.

"We'll do our best."

"Say, how long have you been studying music? And you've always played the violin?" the first boy inquired, pointing at Flynn's case.

"I started at five, and yes it was only the violin."

"Wow! Five! No wonder you can play that well! Are your parents musicians too?" the second boy asked, not noticing Flynn's sudden though slight stiffening.

"No, they aren't." he merely replied, still keeping his smile.

"Oh really? Then how come you got interested in music?"

"Pure luck, one could say."

"But damn, you never thought of going to a music school? You know, to become a conductor or to play in big orchestras or something like that."

Flynn shook his head. The thought had crossed his mind from time to time, but circumstances had prevented him from considering the path any further.

"I'm not good enough for a music school." he explained. "For me, music is more like a pastime than a real occupation."

"Damn, and I was already imagining you conducting an orchestra and boasting to everyone around that I'm an acquaintance of yours and sucking up to you for money." the first student said with a lot of histrionics. "Conductors get rich, right?" he then asked, unsure.

Flynn blinked, then laughed.

"I guess they are." he replied, still laughing.

"I wish I could play an instrument too. Girls like guys who can play something." the second student sighed. "Flynn, I've never seen you with a girl. I mean, not all those girls who stalk you night and day. You don't have a girlfriend?"

Again, Flynn merely shook his head.

"You know, if you got one, you'd get rid of your stalkers!" the first student said jokingly. "Well, you'd break their hearts too, but that's their own problem."

"Hey, there's that girl, Estellise, you know? She doesn't look bad at all, and I heard she's very nice. What do you think, Flynn?"

"I'm not interested." the blonde boy let out a small sigh. That was the kind of conversation he had never felt at ease with.

"Then what about one of her friends? Or Judith?"

"Judith?" Flynn asked. He had never heard that name before.

"Come on! The nurse who has her shift at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 6!"

"You call her by her first name?"

"I bet she's barely older than us. And you know, she's hot." the first student said, nodding.

"She sure is." his friend added, nodding as well.

Now Flynn wished desperately to reach his lecture hall as quickly as possible to be spared the end of the conversation. But it was something else – or rather, someone – who saved him from the delicate situation. He felt a hand on his shoulder followed by a familiar voice:

"Flynn! Here you are. Say, do you have a few minutes? I'd like to discuss the next assignment. Mind if I borrow him a bit?"

"Oh, hi Yuri! Sure, we'll be going on first then." the first student greeted before moving on, followed by his friend.

"See you in class!" the latter replied as well.

"You owe me another one for this." Yuri said with a smirk as soon as the two others were far enough. Flynn frowned, not understanding immediately, but then it clicked and he sighed:

"I guess I do. Thank you."

"But damn, I didn't imagine girls could make you feel that uncomfortable." Yuri went on, deciding to tease the other one a bit. It worked.

"I just find those kinds of talks completely pointless, that's all." Flynn replied dryly. "Now if you don't mind, perhaps we should go to our class."

"Yeah, yeah. But you know, you should loosen up a bit sometimes. I was just teasing." Yuri added, patting the other boy on the shoulder sympathetically.

"And you should put some discipline on yourself sometimes." came the sharp reply. "Even the way you dress is neglected."

"Oh? And how so?" Yuri asked, slightly offended.

"The collar shouldn't be open and the tie shouldn't be loose, for instance." _And your hair should be tied, _he wanted to add, but refrained.

Yuri rolled his eyes. How could he have imagined even a single second that it could be a good idea to befriend that person?

"Girls like it more that." he replied, smirking.

Flynn glanced at him in exasperation then shook his head before opening the door of the lecture hall. He simply wished for the course to be over so he wouldn't have to deal with Yuri anymore.

* * *

><p>"There are microwaves at the cafeteria, right?" Yuri asked out of the blue right after the class was over.<p>

"Yes."

"You're gonna eat there again today?" Naturally, Flynn didn't expect the question at all and his face showed surprise.

"Yes, I am." he finally replied.

"Let's go together then."

"Didn't you bring your lunch today?"

"I did."

Flynn frowned slightly, but out of politeness decided not to question it too much even if he couldn't help but wonder about the reason why Yuri would want to accompany him. As they reached the cafeteria, Flynn started heading for the queue but the other boy stopped him:

"Let's find seats."

"Can you save me one while I'm-"

"Come on, I said." Yuri cut him in, pulling him by the arm.

"W-Wait!" the blonde one protested, yet didn't put up too much resistance as he was dragged away to an empty table. What the hell was going on with Yuri?

Rather confused, he watched as Yuri put his bag on the table, opened it to produce his lunch box, then plunge his hand in the bag again to produce another box which he handed to Flynn.

"It's Bolognese pasta. With lots of pepper." he merely explained. But it only made Flynn even more confused. Seeing that the latter wasn't planning to move, Yuri added with a sarcastic tone:

"Don't tell me you also want me to heat it for you?"

"N-No, of course not!" Flynn replied hastily as he took the lunch box. "It's just that I didn't expect you to..."

"I just happened to make too much of it yesterday, so I thought I may share some with you otherwise it'd have been a waste." Yuri shrugged before heading for the microwave.

A few minutes later, both boys were sitting at the table and ready to dig in. Flynn couldn't help but look delighted, as if he was contemplating a particularly precious jewel. The sight almost made Yuri laugh.

"It's absolutely delicious, Yuri." Flynn complimented after a first mouthful. Given his own lack of talent in the area, he had always admired people who were skilled in the art of cooking, and his surprise was even greater as his first opinion of Yuri wasn't a very positive one.

"Thanks. But you know, it's damn easy to make. I can show you so you can make some yourself whenever you want." Yuri replied, amused at how easy it was to please Flynn's papillae.

"I fear I'll have to decline your offer as I'm pretty sure everything I'd make would end up being a catastrophe. And I don't have much time to spare for cooking."

"Because you're more into music, right?"

Flynn smiled, which confirmed Yuri's thought that music was the best topic to bring up to put the blonde boy in a good mood.

"It's my main pastime." he replied. "I don't know what I'd do if not music."

"You have a rehearsal today?"

"Yes. Do you plan to come to the concert on Wednesday?"

"Maybe... I don't know. I've never been to one, always thought they're boring and for old people." Yuri replied, laughing.

"They're not! Well, I can't force you if you don't want to come, but it's free and there will be a firework as well."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll see on Wednesday. Will depend on my mood."

Flynn sighed and remained silent, taking another mouthful of pasta. Both boys merely ate their lunches during the next minute, not bothering to talk.

"Hello Flynn, Yuri." a soft voice finally broke the silence.

"Good afternoon, Estellise." Flynn nodded to the girl who was carrying a tray of food.

"Hey, you're alone today?" Yuri asked as a greeting.

"Ah, yes... My friends don't have any class this morning. May I have lunch with you?" the girl asked a bit nervously.

"Sure! Take a seat." Yuri invited her. Estellise put the tray down next to Yuri before sitting down, her cheeks slightly pink.

"Thank you." she said, then glancing at the boys, she asked: "Oh, you made your own food?"

"Actually it was Yuri who made it." Flynn replied. "And it's really good."

"Really? Yuri, you can cook?" Estellise asked with a genuine smile. "That's great! I can too, but I prefer baking cakes." she added with a timid voice.

Yuri almost felt like head-desking. Was it so strange for a guy to know how to cook pasta?

"How about you make one someday so we can taste it?" he suggested happily, making Estellise blush a bit more.

"I'd be happy to make you some. For you too naturally, Flynn!" she added quickly.

"It'd be my pleasure to taste your cooking." the latter replied politely.

For Yuri, it felt like two nobles talking to each other, with manners and etiquette; which made him laugh inwardly. Seriously, those two would match together terribly well. Yet, strangely enough, the thought disturbed him slightly, but he quickly dismissed the feeling.

The three of them kept talking about trivial matters in a very polite atmosphere that tested Yuri's ability to refrain from laughing and telling the other two to loosen up. By the time Flynn finished his lunch, Yuri and Estellise had been done for quite a while.

"Sorry for taking so long." he apologized. "It was really good..."

"I won't blame you for savouring my cooking. I'm such an awesome cook after all." Yuri boasted shamelessly.

"And very modest, too." Flynn added, laughing and making Estellise chuckle.

"Thank you for noticing it. Anyway, I guess it's time I go to my next class, and I'll probably skip the one after."

"It's only the beginning and you're already skipping?" Flynn asked, and disapprobation could be heard in his voice.

"You should try attending your classes as much as possible." Estellise advised.

"I finished my work late yesterday and I want to get some sleep." the other boy shrugged. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, Flynn. Estellise, it was a pleasure having you for lunch today." he waved at her as he walked away, therefore not noticing the red on the girl's cheeks.

"Don't forget we have to meet at 3 pm tomorrow." Flynn reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah."

As Yuri left, Estellise picked up her stuff and addressed the blonde boy:

"Is Yuri working outside school?"

"Yes, he told me he works part-time but I don't know where."

"Oh, OK... Well, I'll be taking my leave as well. Have a nice afternoon, Flynn. Oh, and I'll make sure to come to the concert!"

"I hope you'll enjoy it." Flynn replied, smiling. "Have a nice afternoon too."

He then grabbed his bag and his case before heading to his next class, trying not to pay too much attention to the very faint yet strange feeling that stirred him inwardly whenever he thought about how Estellise would blush in Yuri's presence.

* * *

><p>At 5.30 pm on Tuesday, Flynn took mercy of Yuri and decreed that they had worked enough for the day. He had a rehearsal at 6 anyway, and Yuri silently thanked the heavens for it.<p>

"Could you finish the first part for tomorrow? I'll take care of the second one."

"Yeah." the long-haired boy replied very unenthusiastically.

At the same time, Flynn's phone rang, and as the latter looked at who the caller was, Yuri saw him become gloomy. The blonde boy picked up the call while motioning Yuri not to wait for him. Despite his curiosity, the latter complied; yet, as he opened the door of the study room and stepped outside, he still managed to grasp the first word:

"Mother."

The word had been pronounced with a coldness which was on a very different level than the usual dryness with which Flynn would sometime talk to him.

It seemed that the rumour about Flynn not getting along with his parents was true, after all. Now Yuri's curiosity was definitely aroused, but he doubted that Flynn would be willing to tell him anything about it.

For now.

xxxxx

**A/N:** Woot! Another chapter done. I'm trying to get Yuri and Flynn to be a bit more like in the game, i.e. Yuri not caring much about authority and such while Flynn will be sticking more to rules and discipline. Somehow...


	8. September 14th

**September 14th **

As much as he wanted to listen to the lecture, Yuri's eyelids seemed more willing to deny him that pleasure and Mr Schwann's voice would only reached his ears in bits and pieces, allowing him to catch only a few words here and there. In the end, Yuri's need for sleep got the better out of him and he finally dozed off on the table.

It was only after a while that a rather loud voice woke him up:

"Mr Lowell, as much as I don't mind your falling asleep during my class, I must say that I'd prefer you to do so without snoring please."

Yuri heard some chuckles around him as he woke up, but instead of feeling embarrassed as any other person would, he merely stretched his arms and yawned, then replied very innocently:

"Thanks for the piece of advice! I'll make sure to remember that for next class."

This time, the chuckles turned to laughter, making Raven Schwann shake his head and sigh, though there was a faint smile on his lips.

"Ahhh youngsters nowadays... no respect for old men like me." he said with dramatic gestures.

"No wayyy! You can't be _that_ old!" a girl exclaimed. "I mean, you look rather good..."

"I'm very flattered, Miss Lindberg, and I'll gladly give you my phone number later but now with your permission I'd like to resume the lecture." Schwann said with a wink, earning a new round of laughter.

Yuri was quite happy for taking that course; at least the lecturer wasn't a bore like most of them were. He managed to remain more or less awake until the end of the lecture, yet as the class ended and he was about to exit the lecture hall, and despite the noise the other students were making, he heard someone call his name and he turned round to see Schwann motioning him to come.

_Great. What now?_ Yuri made a U-turn, sighing mentally.

"Mr Lowell, I noticed several times that you have a certain tendency to doze off during class." the other man stated as soon as the room got quieter.

"Oh, I'm sorry for that but it's not because of your lectures." Yuri replied.

"I'm glad to hear so, but still, you may want to get more sleep at home rather than at school."

"I can't help it. You know how a student's life is; very busy with homework, homework and more homework." Yuri explained with a tragic sigh.

"And parties, parties and more parties?" Schwann added humorously.

"No way! I'm a very serious student you know, I don't have time for parties." Yuri pretended to be offended, even if half his statement was true. "Anyway, I have a class right now and you wouldn't want to have me late, would you? So I'll take my leave now." he added, walking to the door.

"Whatever you do, try to get more sleep at home anyway." Schwann insisted.

"I appreciate the concern, _old man_, but I'm doing fine." Yuri replied as he exited the room.

However, as he headed for his next class, he couldn't help but wonder whether he'd be able to stand the whole year at that pace. He shook his head to dismiss the thought. He had managed last year, he'd manage this year as well.

* * *

><p>It was soon the end of the afternoon and Yuri was ready to go back home when someone called his name in the corridor:<p>

"Yuri!"

He turned round and smiled at the girls who were waving at him.

"Hey Martha, Estellise! What's up?" he asked, waiting for the two girls to catch up to him.

"We're done with school for today. Were you leaving?" Martha asked back.

"Yeah. I'm done with school too so I was planning to take a nap."

"You don't plan to go to the concert then?"

"The... Oh, right."

The concert. It had completely slipped out of Yuri's mind. Flynn was supposed to perform there as well, wasn't he? Yuri was rather curious to see his project partner play but at the same time, the perspective of not getting his so long-awaited nap didn't particularly please him.

"So, are you coming?" Martha insisted. "You know, there's a firework too and it's really nice and all."

"What time is the concert?"

"It starts at 8pm, and the firework starts at 9pm. Do you live far from here?"

"Not really."

"Then you have plenty of time to have your nap and come back here for the concert!"

"I'm not sure I really want to come you know, I have other stuff to do too." Yuri replied, slightly annoyed, but Martha didn't look like she was going to give up.

"Listen, you should at least go to keep her company." she said, patting Estellise's shoulder. "Right Estelle?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" the other girl asked, visibly surprised. "Aren't you coming with me?"

"Silly! I already told you I promised my newly-got boyfriend to go with him!" Turning back to Yuri, she added: "You wouldn't want to leave that poor girl all alone, right?"

"What about your other friends? They can keep her company." Yuri replied, completely clueless about Martha's scheme.

"Millie's sick, Lena's going with her parents and Sylvia with her brother."

"I-It's fine really!" Estellise cut her friend in. "I can go by myself, there's no problem with that."

"Of course there is!" Martha gave a small hit on the girl's head. "You aren't supposed to go to those kinds of events alone! It's not fun at all!"

"OK, OK I got it. I'll go." Yuri replied, laughing. It was the only answer he could give to have some peace anyway, and Estellise wasn't such a bad company.

"That's the spirit! And now I'm off to meet my boyfriend! Have fun, you two!" And a second later, Martha ran off, leaving the two others standing there.

"I'm really sorry for her behaviour. I don't know what got into her; I'm pretty sure we were supposed to go together but..." Estellise said apologetically.

"It's fine, don't worry about that. Just tell me where and when you want to meet." Yuri replied.

"Oh, sure. How about 7.45 pm here?" the girl suggested.

"Sounds nice. I'll see you in a few hours then!"

As Yuri left, he failed to see Estellise's red cheeks and the shy gaze she was giving him.

* * *

><p>The concert was held outside, in the middle of one of the school's parks and all the space surrounding the stage was already full with noisy students who were sitting on the grass and waiting impatiently for the show to begin. Yuri and Estellise were sitting not too far away from the stage, on a small slope that allowed a better view.<p>

The sky was getting slightly dark, but the temperature was still warm, even with that faint wind blowing in their backs. The noise suddenly faded out for a second and as Yuri looked at the scene, he saw the students of the orchestra getting on the stage and taking their seats under a round of applause and whistles. The conductor – one of the school's teachers – entered last. Yuri didn't have any trouble spotting Flynn, dressed in a black suit and holding his violin in one hand and his bow in the other hand.

It took several minutes for all the musicians to be ready and for the student council president to make a few announcements, and finally the concert began.

Despite the high number of students there, the only sounds that could be heard were those from the orchestra; all the audience was plunged in a religious silence. Yuri's eyes soon landed on Flynn and didn't leave him. The latter was playing like a professional, completely absorbed by the music and the score, and the movements of his arm and body were smooth yet sharp, which amazed Yuri to no end. Naturally the other students were excellent as well, and Yuri thought for a second that it was unfair to give all the credits to Flynn; yet his biased self was telling him that he didn't know the other players and therefore didn't have to care much about them.

The first piece was over, and within a few seconds, the whole park was filled with thunderous applause. The conductor bowed then motioned to the musicians to stand up, and the applause intensified. Without any trouble, Yuri managed to hear a whole chorus of 'Flynn!' and a smirk appeared on his lips when he saw the blonde boy remain as stoic as ever. _Unshakable, aren't we?_

The second part soon started, and silence fell again among the students to leave place to the melody of the orchestra's instruments. Then at some point, the sounds of trumpets got louder, making Yuri's gaze move absent-mindedly to the trumpeters. And then his eyes opened wide.

"Karol?" he said out loud without realizing it.

Fortunately, he hadn't been loud enough for anyone but Estellise to hear him. The girl turned to him with a questioning look in her eyes, but Yuri wasn't paying attention to her; he was busier trying to make sure the person he had spotted in the orchestra was really who he thought it was.

There was no doubt though, even after several years without seeing each other, Yuri could recognize that face among thousands; it was the same hairstyle, the same round face and the same impish sparkle in those eyes. So he was also at this university? It wasn't a big surprise that Yuri hadn't seen him earlier since there were quite a lot of students, and it's not like it was in Yuri's habits to check every face he saw, just in case he would recognize someone.

Yuri was now hoping for the concert to be over soon; he hadn't had the opportunity to get in touch with Karol since he had left the orphanage, and now here they were, in the same university after all those years. Of course, if Yuri had really wanted it, he could have paid some visits at the orphanage but then again, because of _that_ person, he had always deemed it safer not to.

A new round of applause made him snap back to reality, and as he looked back at the stage, all the musicians were standing and bowing again, before sitting back and preparing the score of their next piece. Flynn looked a bit more relaxed while Karol was displaying a broad grin. _As usual, _Yuri thought, smiling to himself.

"Hm, is there someone you know?" Estellise asked while there was still noise around them. "Apart from Flynn, I mean."

"Yeah, a good pal of mine. I didn't expect to see him there though." Yuri replied cheerfully. "It's been quite a long time since I last saw him actually."

"Oh, that's nice then!" the girl smiled at Yuri. "I'm glad you can meet your friend again."

Before Yuri could reply, the next piece started, reducing him to silence. During the whole concert, his eyes would drift from Flynn to Karol, and every time they did, Yuri would have a hard time refraining from laughing. Those two, despite playing in the same orchestra, were complete opposite. Flynn's style of playing was elegant, refined and delicate yet at the same time powerful and accurate; while Karol's style was merely playful and cheerful, almost clumsy.

And then finally, a first bang rose in the air as a splash of colour lit the dark sky.

"It started!" Estellise exclaimed, along with many other students who all lifted up their eyes. Yuri imitated them and got the pleasure of seeing the first firework of his life. Each rocket was shot in rhythm with the piece the orchestra was playing, and when the music got louder, the firework also grew more intense and more colourful under the exclamations of the audience. The sky got illuminated with red, purple, green, gold and silver in loud and successive bangs while the music kept playing as if to accompany the firework.

Yuri was actually impressed and even mesmerized by the show, and without even realizing it he was applauding and whistling, eyes wide open as if not to miss a single sparkle. The finale soon came, the music got louder to mark the summit of the concert, the violins increased in pitch and pace while the trumpets prepared for the solemn ending; and the last rockets – the biggest and brightest – were launched, exploding in myriads of twinkling coronas.

The final note was given, and then all instruments stopped. Not even half a second later, the whole park was only sheer acclamations, hands clapping and whistles. The musicians bowed several times before finally putting back their instruments in their cases and stepping down the stage. Next to Yuri, Estellise was applauding restlessly while repeating 'It was beautiful! It was absolutely beautiful!'. Yuri had to agree with her; he admitted – though a bit reluctantly – that he didn't regret coming to the concert.

And that reminded him that he had to catch Karol before the latter vanished in the middle of the crowd.

"Hey Estellise, come on! I'll introduce you to my friend!" he grabbed the girl's wrist and dragged her along before she could even reply anything.

"O-OK!" she stuttered, trying not to trip over something as she followed Yuri.

Despite the little trouble Yuri had to make his way through the crowd, he managed to reach the stage where most performers still were, chatting and receiving congratulations from the other students. And then Yuri heard that voice he hadn't heard for years:

"...great! Damn, I was so excited and so stressed at the same time! But it turned out better than what I imagined, hahaha! And you know what-Ouch! Who the hell-"

The boy stopped for a second, staring incredulously at the person who had just hit his head. He then blinked once, then twice before grinning again:

"Yuri? Yuri, it's really you!" he exclaimed, jumping at Yuri's neck and almost making him lose balance. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Glad to see you too!" Yuri replied, laughing and patting Karol's back. "So what's up, boss?"

"What do you mean 'what's up'?" Karol asked back after releasing Yuri. "And why the hell did you hit me to begin with? That's not a way to greet your buddy! And stop calling me boss already! I thought you'd have forgotten about that guild game by now!"

"But you're the boss, boss." Yuri ignored him completely. "So, tell me how you ended up here."

"So you guys know each other?" another student interrupted them.

"Yeah! He's my best buddy, Yuri!" Karol replied with excitement. "We've been together at the orphanage since forever! And then that idiot just left and now here he is!"

Estellise blinked at the mention of the orphanage, but didn't have time to give it any further thought.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you two to your reunion! See you tomorrow, Karol!"

"Yeah, see you!" Karol waved at him.

"Ah... Maybe I should leave too." Estellise's voice suddenly rose. "I don't want to disturb y-"

"You aren't disturbing anyone here." Yuri cut her in. "Here, meet my friend Karol Capel. Karol, this is Estellise... huh..."

"Estellise Sidos Heurassein. It's my pleasure to meet you." Estellise finished with a smile.

"That's way too long! Can I call you Estelle instead?" Karol asked, which made the other girl laugh.

"Of course! That's how my friends call me actually."

"Anyway! Back to you!" Yuri intervened. "So, how the hell did you end up here?"

"Same way as you, I guess?" Karol scratched his head. "You know how they want you to go to high school and all, so I finished high school and I was thinking of dropping there, but then I had no clue what to do instead, so they suggested that I go to the university. I thought it wasn't such a bad idea, and since it was right next to our town, I figured it could be nice."

"I didn't expect you to be the kind of person who'd find school nice." Yuri teased him.

"What do you think? I plan to become a great man!" Karol stuck out his chest proudly.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Where are you living now?"

"Well... I'm still at the orphanage. I commute every day."

"That's not really convenient."

"I know, but I can't afford my own accommodation." Seeing that Yuri was pulling a face, he added: "And actually the orphanage has become a lot better you know. Zagi, they moved him to a re-education institution in another city far, far away from here."

Yuri froze at the name. It was the name he hated most on this world, the name he had sworn to forget after leaving the orphanage, the name that inspired him nothing but contempt. It was Zagi who was the reason why Yuri couldn't be involved with anyone. It was him who kept beating up anyone would even talk to Yuri.

"Hey, Yuri. I said he's gone. Gone!" Karol repeated a bit louder and patting Yuri's shoulder. "He's not there to annoy anyone anymore! I know he's mainly the reason why you left, but now you can forget about him."

"That's good news, indeed." Yuri replied after a while, smiling. "I'm glad to hear that."

And suddenly, a wave of relief seized him. Zagi was gone. He wasn't there anymore to beat up anyone. That was really good news.

"How do you manage your accommodation by the way?" Karol went on. "Or do you live in the street?"

"I work, you silly!" Yuri replied, hitting the other boy on the head again.

"Ouch! I got it, I got it! I was just joking! Man, you have no sense of humour."

Watching the two of them interact like that, Estellise couldn't help but chuckle. Yet at the same time, she felt slightly embarrassed by the fact that both boys didn't look like they had had an easy life, contrary to her. Well, they didn't seem too unhappy despite everything, did they?

The night went on until most students started emptying the place, and at some point Yuri decreed that it was more than time to go sleep, especially after seeing Karol yawn several times.

"Isn't it too late to come back to the orphanage by the way?" he asked.

"Yeah it is, but don't worry, tonight I'm staying by another buddy's house. So, I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Karol asked expectantly.

"Sure you will! You're the boss after all." Yuri replied, laughing.

* * *

><p>Flynn collapsed on his bed, dead tired by the whole night. He had wanted to come back home early, yet his fan-club had decided otherwise and his natural courtesy had prevented him from escaping from his admirers' grip. After a while though, he had finally managed to excuse himself and had hurried home, swearing it would be the last concert he'd take part to.<p>

Closing his eyes, he let out a small sigh. In the dense crowd, he had spotted Yuri dragging Estellise around, and for a second he had imagined that they were heading for him to save him from the horde of female students. However, he had soon noticed Yuri talking enthusiastically with someone else – Karol, if his memory didn't fail him.

Not that it mattered to him who Yuri talked to, but Flynn hadn't expected to see the other boy be so friendly with anyone. From the little he had managed to see, the two of them seemed particularly close and that made him wonder why he hadn't seen them together before. Unfortunately, by the time Flynn's fans finally let go of him, Yuri was nowhere to be seen.

For some reason, he had expected Yuri to come and congratulate him, no matter how egocentric this sounded.

And for some reason, despite the fact that he really didn't care about Yuri's opinion, he wasn't able to get rid of the faint disappointment he was feeling.

**xxxxx**

**A/N:** I know that the characters' real ages normally don't match with this story, but let's assume that for the sake of this story, they're in the right range of age. A big thanks to you who take some of your time reviewing this!


	9. September 15th to 18th

**September 15th – 18th**

"Flynn!"

The blonde boy stopped and turned round only to see his project partner running to him as both were headed for their respective lecture halls.

"Nice concert yesterday, by the way. I didn't have time to tell you." Yuri said as he caught up to Flynn.

"Thank you."

Yuri frowned slightly at the short and rather dry answer, but he assumed that the other boy was probably in a bad mood for some reason.

"So, when is the next concert?"

"We have no plans yet."

"Oh, alright." Yuri replied, shrugging. "Anyway, I checked our next assignment and it seems like we have to find a project manager to interview them."

"Indeed."

Yuri knew that his next question was probably not going to be welcomed, but his curiosity on the matter was stronger than his will to please Flynn, therefore he asked it anyway:

"Do you think your parents could help us get one?"

As expected, Flynn didn't react in a very positive way, even if he obviously tried to hide it:

"No." came the sharp reply.

"Really? I heard they work in a big company and all, so I thought-"

"I said no. But I'll get us someone anyway, you don't have to bother about that." Flynn replied, sounding more and more annoyed.

"What's wrong with your parents?" Yuri asked bluntly. This time, irritation could clearly be seen on Flynn's face.

"Mind your own business." he snapped.

"OK, OK, but damn, what the hell put you in such a terrible mood this morning?" Yuri inquired.

Flynn didn't reply immediately; what indeed? Nothing particular had happened for him to be so touchy, except the fact that Yuri mentioned his parents; but if he was honest to himself, his bad mood had started way before then. It had started on the previous night more accurately, after the concert was over and Yuri had vanished without even a word for him. Wait, since when did Flynn care about that? It wasn't his business what Yuri did or did not; it wasn't as if they were close friends after all.

"Flynn?" Yuri called again as the answer didn't come, but then another voice interrupted them:

"Yuri! There you are!" Karol's loud voice almost covered the noise in the crowded corridor of the school.

"Karol! So, what's up today?" Yuri asked as the younger boy ran to him.

"Nothing new, really. Damn, it's really good to see you again you know?" Karol laughed.

"You already said that yesterday, you dummy." Yuri replied, laughing as well.

"Huh, your friend's leaving." Karol pointed at Flynn's back. "Did I make him flee or something? Wanna catch him up?"

"Nah, don't bother about him. He's in a weird mood today."

"Why so?"

"I don't know. He's been like that since this morning."

"Oh, if you say so." Karol scratched his head, then resumed walking, followed by Yuri. "Did you see him yesterday after the concert?"

"No, I went directly looking for you."

"Then maybe he's upset that you forgot about him."

A laugh escaped Yuri's throat.

"I don't think he holds me in high regards enough to be upset over something like that." he replied, still laughing.

"But you're his buddy, right?"

"I'm not really his buddy you know, that guy is just too pretentious for us to get along." Yuri replied sullenly, which made Karol laugh.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. You know, during the rehearsals there's no doubt he's damn skilled and cool and all, but all those girls who keep giggling around him are seriously annoying."

"I sympathize with him on that point." Yuri replied with a chuckle. "Being popular sure must be tough. Anyway, my class's here so I guess I'll see you later."

"Sure! Oh, I forgot to give you my phone number!"

"Later, I'm gonna be late otherwise!" Yuri replied as he pushed open the door of his lecture hall.

"Alright! See you Yuri!" Karol waved at him before disappearing in the crowd of students.

* * *

><p>In the afternoon was scheduled a class of project management, and as Yuri stepped inside the lecture hall, he spotted Flynn at his usual place on the front row. The latter was in the middle of a conversation with two other students and Yuri decided it wasn't the best time to go annoy Flynn. Therefore he walked to the back of the room and settled for the last row.<p>

The lecture soon started, as boring as ever in Yuri's opinion. At some point he felt so bored that he grabbed his phone and stared at it for a second before typing a message and sending it, a smirk on his face.

'_Still sulking, your Majesty?'_

From his place, he could see Flynn grab something in his pocket, look at the said thing then shoving it back in his pocket. Naturally he didn't receive any answer until the class was over. As the lecturer dismissed the students, Yuri hurried to Flynn and patted the other boy's shoulder:

"Ignoring me now?" he asked.

"I don't have the habit of sending useless messages during lectures, Yuri." Flynn replied coldly as he almost slapped Yuri's hand off his shoulder. The long-haired boy sighed, shaking his head. Then he suddenly remembered Karol's words and decided he had nothing to lose testing his theory.

"Would you happen to be upset because I didn't congratulate you yesterday?"

The other boy, who was packing his stuff, froze and glared at Yuri as if the latter had just uttered ignominious words.

"Please don't flatter yourself that much." This time, the tone was pure ice. "I don't see any reason to care about your congratulations, or lack of."

_Bull's eye._ Yuri thought, to his utmost surprise. He definitely didn't expect Karol's assumption to be correct, and yet given Flynn's reaction, chances were great that it was the right explanation. With a mental smirk, Yuri decided to play along. As Flynn grabbed his bag and was about to leave, Yuri wrapped an arm around his shoulders and dragged him to the exit, not letting him the opportunity to protest:

"Listen, I'm deeply sorry I didn't come to see you yesterday, but guess what? I saw Karol, whom I hadn't seen for years. I didn't even know he was in this school! So yeah, I guess I was so happy to see him that you slipped out of my mind, but I'm very sorry about that so let me make up for it by telling you now that your performance yesterday was really something!" Yuri explained cheerfully, completely ignoring the stiffness of Flynn's shoulders or the delighted looks they were receiving from the female students on their way.

Flynn, on his side, was less delighted. Who did Yuri think he was, behaving so familiarly with him and over all, assuming that Flynn could actually hold a grudge against him for such a petty reason?

However, if he were a bit more honest with himself, he would probably notice that deep inside, Yuri's explanation had made him cool off a bit.

If he were a bit more honest with himself, he would probably realize that Yuri's assumption wasn't that wrong after all, and that among all the people who had congratulated him, there was only one person who actually mattered to him.

He gave up, conceding defeat.

"...was really cool! I can totally understand why everyone keeps saying you're the best one."

It was Flynn's turn to sigh; he removed Yuri's arm from his shoulders – this time more gently – and gave a faint smile.

"Thanks." he finally said, turning to Yuri. "I'm sorry for my earlier behaviour; I guess I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Yuri blinked at the reaction, then smiled back.

"Don't worry about that, it's actually reassuring to know that you can be in a bad mood too."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Flynn frowned.

"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, I need to hurry home to get ready for my work. I'll see you tomorrow!"

That said, Yuri waved Flynn goodbye and ran off, leaving the other boy pondering about their conversation.

* * *

><p>On the next day, Yuri dragged him again to the cafeteria and shoved a lunch box in his hands.<p>

"Curry beef, with tons of pepper." he merely said.

Flynn didn't protest and accepted the present gratefully, trying to remember why the dish name sounded so familiar.

Estellise joined them a bit later and sat next to Yuri.

Karol also came and joined the party without forgetting to tease Flynn about having his food made by Yuri.

The afternoon came with the two students working on their next assignment. As promised, Flynn had found someone to interview, and even if Yuri was really eager to bring back the topic of Flynn's parents, he refrained for now.

In the evening Yuri was cleaning some dishes at the pub, when he received a message on his phone. What he read actually made him smirk.

'_I forgot to tell you: thank you for the lunch. It was really.'_

On Saturday, Flynn still couldn't remember where he had tasted that curry beef before.

On Sunday, as he was walking to that pub – he had decided to have his dinner every week at that place –, it clicked. It was on the previous week, at that same pub. And then he suddenly wondered if Yuri was working there; but then again, it could have been a mere coincidence. It's not like curry beef was a very rare dish after all.

On Sunday, Yuri was preparing the food in the kitchen when the waitress came in with a set of orders and put them on the board, then addressed the young cook:

"He's here again." she said cheerfully.

"Who?"

"Idiot! Your friend! You got him addicted to your food."

And somehow, it didn't surprise Yuri.

_Yup, completely addicted._

**xxxxx**

**A/N:** And another chapter done! Thanks for reading and dropping reviews!


	10. September 19th to 21st

**September 19****th ****– 21****st**

The week following the concert was a rather good one for Yuri. Since he didn't have much free time in his schedule to spendwith Karol, he had started skipping some classes here and there, even though Karol had advised him not to. The younger boy was nevertheless more than pleased to spend his time telling Yuri about everything that had happened at the orphanage since he had left; and Yuri would merely listen to him with an amused face.

"How about you pay us a visit? Everyone was super happy to know that you're here and all!" Karol offered. "They all miss you, you know?"

"I doubt it, given all the troubles I've given them." Yuri replied, laughing.

The two boys were sitting on the grass of one of the school's parks, enjoying the last days of the cool weather. On that Monday morning, Yuri was supposed to be at his project management class but he had decreed that missing a class from time to time wouldn't hurt him too much. Of course there was the possibility that Flynn wouldn't be very pleased, but Karol was more important to Yuri than a stupid class where the lecturers had the knack to bore the students after ten minutes of speech.

"No, seriously! Just drop by someday, we'll prepare a nice party for that!" Karol insisted.

"I'd love to, but I don't have much time between my job and school work." Yuri pronounced the last words with a grimace. School work. The plague of his life.

"Ah... Yeah, I understand." the brunette replied, slightly disappointed. "Anyway, if you manage to find some time, just tell me!"

"I sure will!"

Yuri yawned and then lay down on the grass, closing his eyes. The two of them remained silent for a while, before Karol resumed talking:

"By the way, you remember Rita?"

"Rita Mordio? That girl who'd always hit you whenever she could?"

"You don't need to remind me that... She still hits me, you know." Karol grumbled. "Well, when she heard you were here, she said she was going to apply to this university too."

Yuri opened an eye and glanced at his friend.

"Seriously? But it's too late to register for this period, right?"

"Apparently the orphanage is going to ask the school's administration to make an exception, based on the fact that she's always had excellent grades in high school and all." Karol explained unenthusiastically.

"Why didn't she go to a better university then?"

"Probably because she didn't want to leave the orphanage. She seems to have fun making weird experiences in her lab." Karol replied, shrugging. Yuri sat up, surprise painted on his face.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'her lab'? Don't tell me she hasn't given up on making all those horrible potions of hers?"

"Well, it seems that she had her best grades in chemistry, so as a present the orphanage offered her some chemistry kits and gave her a special room for her to play with her test tubes. I don't know what she does in that room but sometimes you can see green smoke going out the window, and sometimes it smells really terrible too."

"Weirdo." Yuri commented.

"I know right? I bet someday she's gonna blow up the whole building! Everyone calls her a genius, but I call her a crazy witch!" Karol exclaimed, making Yuri laugh.

"Maybe she's a genius crazy witch? Anyway, you said she was coming here, right? Do you know when?"

Karol shook his head.

"No, but I think it'll be somewhere around next week. Gods Yuri! I don't want to see her more than I already do! What if she takes the same courses as me? She's gonna hit me all day long!"

"Relax, boss. I doubt she'll take the same courses as you. She'll probably pick something related to chemistry, which is not your area at all, right?"

"Yeah, you're right." Karol sighed of relief. "And don't call me boss!" he punched Yuri's arm.

"What about 'venerable master' then?" Yuri teased him, laughing as the other boy had started pretending to sulk before laughing as well.

Inwardly, Yuri started thinking that he had greatly missed those times when he could laugh with his friends like that. But it seemed that he was being offered a new chance to laugh again.

* * *

><p>Yuri hadn't come to class, Flynn noticed, and neither had he sent him any message to tell him about his absence. They were supposed to meet after lunch to work on the interview and Flynn had no idea if his partner would be coming or not. He hadn't even showed up at the cafeteria, crushing Flynn's secret hope to have another lunch box by him.<p>

The blonde boy was now standing by the library's entrance, his back against the wall and arms crossed, waiting for Yuri to show up. Since he was five minutes early, he decided to wait patiently while wondering mentally what Yuri was doing. Maybe he was sick? But in that case, he'd have informed him of that. Maybe he had overslept? Flynn still didn't have any clear idea of how demanding Yuri's job was, so it could be a possibility.

"Yo, Flynn!" a familiar voice was heard.

Flynn turned his head and saw Yuri waving at him. By his side was Karol who also greeted him cheerfully.

"Hi, Yuri. Where were you this morning?" Flynn asked immediately.

"Is that concern I hear in your voice?" Yuri asked back teasingly. "Don't worry, I was in good company." he replied as he patted Karol's head, to the latter's utmost annoyance.

"Try to avoid skipping classes as much as possible, Yuri." Flynn replied with a sigh.

"Well, excuse me for choosing to spend some time with my long-lost friend instead of attending a soporific class." Yuri declared, slightly annoyed. "Anyway, let's get to work and finish this quickly. Karol, I'll see you later, OK?"

"Sure thing! Have fun, you two!" Karol waved at both of them and ran off while the two other boys headed inside.

The afternoon passed by rather quickly, much to Yuri's surprise. Naturally, Flynn had done most of the job, but somehow, spending four hours straight in his company had been less unpleasant as what Yuri had expected. Flynn hadn't made any further comment about his skipping classes, which was actually pretty pleasant.

At some point, as Flynn was explaining a few points on a paper, Yuri, sitting next to him with an elbow on the table and his head resting nonchalantly on his hand, found himself examining – once again – his profile. And after two minutes of thorough examination, only one conclusion came to him: Flynn was flawless.

From each lock of his golden blonde hair to those sapphire eyes that didn't even deign look at him, from that pale yet smooth skin to those pink lips uttering words which Yuri wasn't even paying attention to; there was not a single detail which tainted that elegant face of his.

"... and we should end with a short analysis on the relevance of the data we collected. Is that fine with you, Yuri?" Flynn concluded as he turned to Yuri, only to be faced with a pair of onyx eyes staring at him, as if unaware that Flynn was now gazing at them. Unconsciously, Flynn tensed up and his cheeks flushed very slightly; then after a few seconds, he averted the gaze, but not in the right direction. His eyes landed on Yuri's open collar and loose tie, and for a fraction of a second, something stirred inside of him at the sight of the exposed skin.

"Y-Yuri, did you even listen to what I said?" Flynn asked reproachfully as he quickly turned his head back to his papers.

"Hm? Oh, yeah I did. I'm OK with whatever you said." Yuri replied, finally snapping out of his contemplation. Of course he didn't miss the signs of discomfort Flynn had showed, and that made him smirk mentally. So Flynn was used to girls looking at him with over-loving eyes, and yet when it was a boy who was simply watching him, he actually felt uneasy? How interesting, Yuri thought.

Flynn let out a small sigh and gathered his papers.

"I think we should call it a day. You don't seem able to focus on our work any longer." he said. "The interview is on Friday, so we still have time to finish the literature review before preparing the interview; but please, try to have your part done by Wednesday."

"Yeah, I will." Yuri replied, still amused by Flynn's earlier reaction.

As both of them left the library and headed back home, Yuri started thinking that this new 'friend' of his was somehow an interesting subject.

* * *

><p>On Tuesday, Yuri made an effort and didn't skip any classes, and as a result he wasn't able to see Karol even though both of them had been texting each other all day to kill time. In the afternoon, he saw Flynn a bit farther away, his violin case in one hand, and was about to call him out when he was interrupted by a soft voice:<p>

"Good afternoon, Yuri."

"Oh, hi Estelle. What's up?" Yuri turned to the pink-haired girl with a smile.

"I was about to go to the choir. What about you?"

"You sing? I'd like to hear that someday! Well, I was just about to go home and collapse on my bed before finishing some assignment. Flynn will give me a speech if I'm not done by tomorrow."

Estellise chuckled at the comment then nodded.

"It is important to do all the assignments the teachers ask from us. That's the only way to get a good education and have a good degree." she said, almost in a motherly way. Yuri scratched his head.

"Let's say I just need something that'll help me earn money. I don't see how doing assignments all the time can help us achieve anything."

"Well... it's the education system which requires you to work and have good grades." Estellise replied, slightly confused by Yuri's point of view. "You can't get any degree if you don't work, and without a degree you can't find a decent job."

"Yeah, probably. Anyway, it's not that I don't enjoy your company but I should be leaving now. See you soon!"

"Goodbye, Yuri!" Estellise gave him a warm smile.

* * *

><p>On Wednesday morning, as Yuri was heading for his lecture hall for a project management class, he heard someone running behind him and not long after, his name was called:<p>

"Yuri!"

The boy stopped and turned round, perplexed as he saw Flynn running to him.

"Hey, what's the matter? You're usually never so enthusiastic to be with me." Yuri said jokingly, but sadly enough, he got no reaction from Flynn on that comment. Instead, the other just ignored it and went on:

"Good morning, Yuri. We have a slight problem. The manager whom we're supposed to interview on Friday just sent me a message this morning to tell me that he actually won't be available on that day. He said his only availability is tomorrow morning."

"Oh. And we were supposed to prepare the interview tomorrow afternoon, right? That's indeed a problem. Then I guess we have to find some time today."

"I have classes all day so it can only be done this afternoon after 5 pm. I'll skip the orchestra activities today."

The thought of having to stay at school after 5 pm to work didn't rejoice Yuri at all and he was very tempted to reply that he had a work shift on that day, but Flynn's next sentence aroused his curiosity:

"The library closes at 5 so we can't stay there to work. I suggest we go to my place instead. I don't live far from here; would that be fine with you?"

Yuri blinked twice at the suggestion before amusement painted on his face. Mr Perfect was inviting his humble self to his place? What a great honour.

"I guess we don't have much choice, do we?" he replied with a dramatic sigh.

"Indeed. Then let's meet at the school's gates at 5."

"OK. Wait, you're not going to class now?"

"I have another class at the same time as this one." Flynn explained. "And I should hurry because it's on the opposite side of the school. I just came here to tell you about the change of plans."

"I don't know if I should feel heartbroken that you're choosing another class instead of this one, or if I should feel flattered that you bothered finding me all the way here." Yuri replied sarcastically. "Anyway, see you this afternoon." he added before stepping into his lecture hall.

Flynn remained standing there for a second, not really understanding Yuri's last comment; then he merely shook his head, deciding that it was merely part of Yuri's character. As he made his way to his own lecture hall, he couldn't help but feel quite surprised at himself. Never before had he invited anyone to his place; and even though this time it was more or less an emergency, it still felt rather strange for him to have a guest.

Especially when that guest was Yuri Lowell, his complete antithesis.

At the end of the day, they met at the school's gates as agreed.

"Glad to see you haven't deserted, Yuri." Flynn said as they got ready to leave.

"Was that an attempt at making a joke?" Yuri inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Take it however you want." the other boy replied, actually smiling.

Fortunately enough, the trip to Flynn's place was indeed short, for an awkward silence had filled the atmosphere all along as none of them had any idea on what to say. At some point Flynn did ask a question or two about school, but that was about all. Yuri had never been to that quarter which could be considered the fashionable districts of the city, in a way.

It wasn't a district for wealthy people only, but the buildings were much more modern and fancy than in Yuri's neighbourhood. The two students soon arrived to a tall and off-white block of flats with brown and dark green balconies and large windows at each floor. A minute later, Flynn and Yuri were inside an elevator to the 7th floor and another minute after, Yuri stepped for the first time inside Flynn's flat.

He was left speechless for a moment. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was incredibly large. In the main room front of him were the living room and the kitchen, both lit up thanks to huge bay windows. The furniture looked plainly modern and the whole room was in a state of neatness and cleanness Yuri would have never imagined. His own room wasn't particularly messy, but at least it was obvious that someone lived in there. Here, there wasn't a single object which was out of place. Even the paintings on the walls looked like they had been hanged there with a mathematical precision.

His first impression after an overview of the place could be summarized in one word: cold. Not about the actual temperature, but about the general atmosphere, as if that flat hadn't been designed as a place to _live_, but as a mere necessary formality to have a roof above one's head. Yuri wouldn't have stood living in that place for long.

The flat definitely didn't look like any normal student's dwelling. Yuri could have stood there staring much longer if Flynn hadn't interrupted him:

"You can put your stuff on the sofa. I'm going to make some coffee before we start. Do you want some?"

"No thanks. Just water for me." Yuri replied as he dropped his bag at the sofa's feet. Seriously, just how rich could Flynn be? Or rather, Flynn's parents? Yuri now felt more and more curious. He didn't manage to resist asking the question:

"Say, were you the one who paid for this flat?"

There was a second of silence before Flynn replied:

"In a way. I took a loan."

What student was crazy enough to take a loan to buy a flat? And which bank was crazy enough to accept such a loan? Well, it wasn't really Yuri's business, but looking at the place where he had stepped foot, he felt in a completely different world. He sat on the sofa, wondering if Flynn didn't have some relationships with the mafia or anything similar.

Flynn soon came back with a cup of coffee in one hand and a glass of water in the other, handing the latter to Yuri before grabbing some paper on a shelf and a pencil in a drawer. He then sat on the sofa next to Yuri and put his stuff on the low table in front of them.

"Let's start then. The interview will last an hour, so I think we can prepare around ten to fifteen questions..."

During the next hour, Flynn kept scribbling, crossing out some questions and then rewriting some others while Yuri tried his best to participate. For once, he wasn't actually bored by the work they were doing and soon enough, everything was wrapped up.

Yuri stretched his arms, satisfied that it was over and started packing his stuff while Flynn was putting their notes into order.

"Thanks for your time, Yuri." he said. "I hope this kind of unexpected events won't happen again."

"Oh, don't worry about that. You did most of the job, anyway." Yuri replied lightly. "Anyway, time for me to go home and make dinner! By the way, what do you have for dinner since you can't cook? You have a maid coming over to cook for you? Or don't tell me you eat canned food?"

"No, I usually have something delivered." Flynn replied.

"Hey, what about this? Since I didn't work that much, I can make dinner for both of us. If you're OK to let me use your kitchen, of course." Yuri offered. He had no idea what had prompted him to offer to cook – once again – for Flynn, and simply assumed it was merely because he enjoyed cooking a lot.

"Oh... hm, no, don't bother about that. I don't want to keep you here any longer. I guess you'd rather go back and rest, wouldn't you?" Flynn replied, quite surprised by Yuri's proposition.

"Come on, don't give me that. You're dying to taste my cooking again." Yuri smirked as he stood up. "Last chance before I leave for real: want me to make dinner tonight or not?"

"I-But there's nothing here for you to cook."

"Huh? What do you mean? You don't have any knife or pan or anything?"

"No, I have all of those. But there's no ingredients." Flynn replied, slightly embarrassed. "Since I don't cook myself, I only keep fruit, drinks and similar stuff."

"Seriously?" Yuri opened round eyes. "Flynn, what kind of life do you have here?" Then he shook his head and grabbed his bag. "OK. Come with me, we're going to resupply. I saw a supermarket near your place."

"It's fine, really! You don't have to-"

"Just come already." Yuri cut him in by grabbing Flynn's wrist and dragging him along.

With a sigh, Flynn gave up and a couple of minutes later, both boys were at the supermarket, Flynn merely following Yuri while the latter was picking all the ingredients he needed. When arriving at the cashier, Flynn offered to pay, naturally; but in return Yuri merely threatened to poison his food if he were to come up with more ridiculous suggestions.

As they went back to Flynn's flat, Yuri almost felt a wave of depression hitting him once he stepped foot once again in that realm of coldness. Seriously, it was no wonder Flynn was so uptight while living in such a sad place.

"OK, let's get to work." Yuri declared as soon as he was done displaying all the food on the work table of the kitchen. He rolled his sleeves up and started preparing the ingredients. Flynn was in the living room, working on some projects and looking particularly absorbed in them.

Apart from the sound of Yuri cutting vegetables and putting them in a pot, the large room was bathed in a religious silence; which at some point started getting on Yuri's nerves. Usually he always had his earphones on, yet it was because he was usually alone. However, now, even with Flynn in the same room as him, it felt completely empty – and cold.

After a few minutes bearing with that uncomfortable silence, Yuri let out a small sigh of annoyance; and then he got an idea.

"Flynn."

"What is it, Yuri?"

"You don't want to play some violin now, by any chance?"

Flynn didn't expect the question at all. He raised his eyes to Yuri who was still busy preparing the food.

"That wasn't in my plans, but I guess I could if that's what you want." he replied, slightly troubled.

"I didn't have the opportunity to listen to you play except in that concert. And it's always better than this weird silence." Yuri added jokingly.

"All right..." Flynn stood up and disappeared somewhere in another room before coming back with his instrument, a score and a music stand.

Yuri watched him prepare the score and clean the bow before getting ready to play. As soon as the bow touched the violin string and started producing a melody, Yuri felt a shiver running down his spine. For a moment he forgot about dinner and could only watch Flynn play. It didn't take him long to understand why Flynn could stand living in such a cold flat; it was because whenever he played, the whole atmosphere surrounding him would warm up under each note of the melody.

And suddenly the whole place looked less grey, less dull and more... alive. Yuri could barely believe both his eyes and ears, and even less ignore that continuous chill seizing him; yet that chill wasn't due to cold, but to the warm music from Flynn's violin. With a faint smile, he resumed his activities while making the ridiculous wish that the music never stopped.

Flynn was playing, completely unaware of Yuri's captivation for his music; and yet at some point, he glanced just once at the dark-haired boy and caught a glimpse of a faint smile. And even if he was used to having people appreciate his music, that smile still made him happy.

Soon enough, the music was over, and dinner was ready. Yuri didn't fail to make many compliments to Flynn about his music skills, to which Flynn replied that they were no match to Yuri's cooking skills.

As Flynn tasted a first mouthful of the dish, he almost sighed of delight. The flavours, the scent, that hint of spiciness, everything was perfectly balanced to him and his palate could only beg for more. All the ingredients were cooked perfectly; not too much and not too little; each mouthful melted in his mouth to release the most delectable fragrances. Once again, Yuri had proved to him that he was a master in his art.

"What's this dish called?" he finally asked.

"It's a 'boeuf bourguignon'. A French recipe." Yuri replied, always amused to see Flynn's reactions whenever he tasted his cooking.

"It's delicious." Flynn commented uselessly.

'_Of course it is! I picked the best parts to cook you that! And now my wallet feels horribly empty.'_ Yuri thought. And yet, he somehow didn't mind spending if he could get to see that delighted expression on Flynn's face.

When they were done with dinner, it was already late and dark outside. By the time they cleaned up everything, it was past 9 and Yuri let out a long yawn.

"Well, I guess it's really time for me to go." he finally said as he grabbed his bag.

"I'll call a taxi for you." Flynn offered, but Yuri dismissed it.

"Nah, I'd rather walk, but thanks for the offer. I don't live that far from here anyway."

"As you wish. Please don't forget to come to tomorrow's interview." Flynn reminded him with a smile.

"Yeah yeah, I'll try." Yuri grunted as he walked to the door. "See you tomorrow." he added, opening the door and stepping out.

As the door closed behind Yuri, Flynn thought that it hadn't been such a bad evening after all.

**xxxx**

**A/N: The chapter is longer this time, but I hope you like it!**


	11. September 22nd to 25th

**September 22****nd****–**** 25****th**

The interview went on quite well on that morning. The manager had apologized for the sudden change of schedule, though neither Yuri nor Flynn had been really complaining. It had allowed Yuri to discover Flynn's sacred place of living and had given Flynn the opportunity to taste Yuri's cooking one more time.

And though none of them were anywhere near admitting it, but somehow a thin yet certain string was being weaved between them. It was probably not very visible yet, and one would be tempted to claim that it was only because they had to work together, but more experienced eyes would manage to notice that there was something which had started moving and wasn't going to stop.

It was soon 7 pm, and Flynn was checking one last time the report made from the interview notes. It wasn't complete yet since it lacked Yuri's part, but Flynn hoped that he would be done by the following day. The blonde boy put all his notes into order and grabbed his phone to order dinner, but then he noticed that he had received a new message from none other than Yuri.

'_Check your fridge before calling delivery stores, you idiot.'_

Flynn blinked once, then twice. Frowning, he complied with the order and to his greatest surprise saw – among the food that Yuri had bought – three plates, each with a different dish in them. Had Yuri prepared all those on the previous day without his noticing? Well, to be honest, Flynn had either been studying or playing the violin therefore there was little chance for him to notice.

With a smile, he grabbed his phone to send a message, then picked a plate out of the fridge.

* * *

><p>As always, the pub was almost full and the kitchen was buzzing restlessly with activities; even so, Yuri had managed to find a few minutes to chat with Karol who had come here along with some friends once he knew that Yuri was working there.<p>

"Yuri, it's freaking delicious! I see you haven't lost any of your cooking skills!" the younger boy exclaimed, digging without any restraint in his plate.

"I remember that you're not bad either, boss." Yuri replied, smiling.

"Stop calling me t-"

"Hey, you can cook too, Karol? You didn't tell us that!" One of Karol's friends cut him in.

"W-Well, just a bit you know, it's nothing as fabulous as what Yuri makes!" Karol replied, slightly embarrassed.

"Don't be so modest. Hey, if I visit you at the orphanage, I want a tiramisu. That's my condition to come." Yuri teased him.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Karol retorted. "Then at least pay me today's meal!"

"Yuri! Get back to work! You're not being paid to slack!" the pub's manager yelled.

"Yeah, yeah, coming! And forget about my paying for your meal, I'm not that generous!" Yuri replied as he left the group of boys, hearing a last "Stingy!" behind his back.

At 11.30 pm, Yuri was finally allowed to leave, after being done washing and cleaning all the dishes, tables and whatnot. Even if he was getting used to it, he was always tired after each of those nights and tonight wasn't an exception. As soon as he came back home, he took a quick shower and collapsed on the bed, falling almost immediately into a deep sleep.

It was only in the morning when a sun ray hit his face that he realized two things: first, he had forgotten to put his alarm clock and second, he had forgotten to work on his assignment. The results for his negligence were simple: he had missed the meeting with Flynn, and Flynn wasn't going to be very pleased.

As he rushed out of the bed and grabbed his phone to send a message to Flynn, he noticed that the latter had already texted him. Probably to ask him where he was. However, the message had been sent on the previous night and it was with a frowning face that Yuri opened it.

'_Thank you. Though I'm not sure what I did to be called an idiot.'_

It took Yuri a few seconds to recall what Flynn was talking about, before a smirk appeared on his face. The smirk quickly vanished as he soon remembered that he was supposed to be at school with Flynn to finalize their assignment. He quickly typed a reply, then got dressed and ran off to school.

* * *

><p>Flynn's face couldn't be read any emotion, and his sapphire eyes now looked much like two miniature ice pools. He was standing straight and immobile in front of a large desk with an impassive expression, not even blinking under the unkind stare he was receiving from the person sitting on the other side of the desk. However, even if he didn't show anything outside, he was boiling with anger inwardly, thinking again about what had happened on that morning as he was about to go to school.<p>

_A luxurious, black and oh so familiar car was parked in front the entrance. As soon as Flynn saw it, he knew that his day wasn't going to be a good one. There was a man dressed in a black suit standing by the car, and before Flynn even had time to think any further, the man opened the back door of the car, revealing a face that made the boy sigh inwardly._

"_Good morning, Mother. I'm afraid you will have to be quick in whatever business you have-"_

"_I'll take how much time I deem necessary, and you are not to talk to me on that tone!" a cold-face woman cut him in. "Get in the car and do not make me waste more time, you insolent boy."_

"_As I was going to say, I need to meet someone at the university now. I'll come to your office whenever I have time. Unless this is an urgent matter."_

"_You are not to decide whether a matter is urgent or not. Now hurry up!"_

_Swallowing back a reply, Flynn complied reluctantly. He needed to inform Yuri that he wouldn't be able to meet with him as planned; yet, as he grabbed his phone in his pocket, his mother snapped icily:_

"_Put it back. I don't want you to be distracted while I'm talking."_

"_I must inform the person I was supposed to meet about an unexpected event." Flynn replied equally, which only earned him a slap on the left cheek._

"_I said to put it back! That 'person' will have to wait, understood?" the woman said angrily._

"_Very well. Mother." Flynn replied without looking at her even once._

Of course, during the short trip to the office, he had been forced to listen to the usual lecture about the shame he was bringing upon the Scifo name by studying in such a low-rated university, by refusing to follow a top-class formation to prepare him to inherit his parents' business, and by playing in a pitiful school orchestra instead of real performances for a refined audience.

But now as he was standing here in that grey and unwelcoming office, the topic his mother brought up was completely different.

"I received an unpleasant call from Miss Verna's parents." the woman spoke coldly, her blonde locks falling perfectly on her shoulders. "It seems like you haven't even written a single letter to her for over a month, let alone a phone call."

The tone wasn't particularly threatening, but Flynn knew her more than enough to know that the faint furrow between her brows was a sign that she was upset; and saying so was a euphemism. Naturally, he had expected that topic to come out, but it didn't mean he wasn't getting annoyed by it.

Sodia Verna, heiress of the influent Verna multinational in pharmaceutical research and products, by one year Flynn's junior and also his supposed future fiancée, by the grace of both his and her parents. The few times Flynn had met her personally, he could tell that she wasn't a bad girl; yet he didn't have the least interest in her.

"Well?" she insisted as Flynn kept silent.

"I have been quite busy lately with university activities. I'm afraid I didn't find time to ask news from her."

"That is NOT a reason, Flynn! Because of you, her parents are doubting the interest you have towards her and have even been hinting of engaging her to someone else!"

"Maybe you can convince them with the interest _you_ have towards their company." Flynn replied impassively.

"Enough with the insolence!" Flynn's mother stood up abruptly, slamming her palms on the desk. "Of course they know we are doing this for business! The trade would be beneficial for us, but also for them! However, because of your petty behaviour, they are wondering if you will become a fitting heir worthy of their daughter!"

'_I have no will to become worthy of their daughter.'_ Flynn thought, but was wise enough to keep the thought for himself.

"You are to fix this immediately before they change their minds definitely. Do you know the embarrassment in which you put your father and me? And you are lucky he's on a business trip now, otherwise you'd have heard from him too. We won't accept any more of this, you hear me? Answer me!"

"I will do my best." Flynn replied in spite of himself.

"Oh but you don't have much choice, Flynn. I want you to call her now and invite her for dinner at the _Mayleen Park._ The money has already been transferred to your account and I've already booked a table for you."

Flynn was rendered silent for several seconds and the only sign betraying his rising anger was his slightly shaking fists. Until when did his parents plan to make decisions in his stead? Had they still not understood that he didn't have any intention of inheriting their business?

"Good Lord, if you had a sibling..." he heard his mother mutter for the hundredth time.

And there it came again. If Flynn could be called lucky, it was because he was an only child. For that reason only would his parents keep supporting him financially, which wasn't to Flynn's tastes. That was why he had decided that all the funds he had received for his studies, flat and every other personal expenses were only loans; sooner or later, he would repay his debts and sever any dependence he had towards his parents.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Call her!" Flynn's mother interrupted his thoughts. She had sat back on her chair and was now reviewing some papers piled up on her desk.

With no other choice but to comply, Flynn picked out his mobile and in so doing, he saw a message from Yuri. Probably to call him an idiot for not coming to the meeting.

'_Sorry, I overslept. I'm coming now. Meet me at the library?'_ Flynn read the message quickly and had to bit his lip not to smile at the message, but he couldn't reply yet as his mother was still keeping an eye on him. With a mental sigh, he dialed Sodia's number.

* * *

><p>With a shrug, Yuri moved out from the library in front of which he had been waiting, more or less patiently. He checked his phone one last time, and still seeing no reply, he shoved it into his pocket and grabbed his bag on the ground. He didn't have any classes in the afternoon, which meant he was free to go back home; still, he wondered if Flynn was pissed at him for not coming to the meeting and had decided that ignoring his message was his way of showing that he was pissed. Yuri doubted it was Flynn's style though.<p>

"Yuri!"

"Oh, hey Estelle. What's up? Where have all your friends vanished?"

"They don't have any classes this morning." the pink-haired girl replied, then paused a second and added: "Well, Martha had but she kind of skipped..."

"Good girl." Yuri replied, laughing. Seeing Estelle's disapproving face, he quickly added: "Come on, it's not too bad to skip once in a while. Anyway, have you seen Flynn? I was looking for him."

"Flynn? No, I haven't. Have you tried calling him?"

"He didn't reply to my message. We were supposed to meet this morning but I totally forgot about it."

It was Estelle's turn to chuckle, then she shook her head.

"He certainly must not be very pleased." she replied, but despite the serious face, her tone showed a hint of amusement. "Maybe he's busy with something else and hasn't seen your message yet. In the worst case, you will see at one of your classes, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. Anyway, I was planning to head back home and work a bit." Yuri said as he was about to leave, but the girl stopped him.

"Oh hm... Well it's almost lunch time and I was wondering if you, hm... wanted to eat together?" she asked bravely.

"That'd be cool, but I hadn't planned to eat here, so I didn't bring lunch."

"Oh it's fine! Let me invite you! There's an Italian restaurant not far from here, it's very good. A lot of students go there for lunch."

"Nah, I can't let a nice girl like you invite me. But thanks for the offer!" Yuri replied, chuckling.

"I don't mind, really! But if it really bothers you then-then... you cook me something someday?" Estelle requested, lowering both her eyes and her tone. Yuri seemed to ignore the embarrassment as he scratched his head and finally said with a broad smile:

"Works! Let's go!"

Estelle's face lit up and she nodded, returning the smile.

Well, since Flynn had decided not to show any sign of life, Yuri could always work on his assignment later.

* * *

><p>To Flynn's utmost exasperation, his mother didn't let him go to school on that day, no matter his protests. For today, he was to get ready for dinner, which meant to revise various topics of discussion, compliments to make, apologies to give and a whole bunch of other details which bored him to death. What irritated him the most however, was that he didn't have the opportunity to get in touch with Yuri.<p>

Honestly speaking, he'd rather spend his time working with him – despite he still couldn't stand his neglected bearing and overfamiliar behaviour – than having a fancy dinner with a girl whom the only words he had exchanged were polite salutations and compliments.

The time of the appointment soon came and he – or rather, his chauffeur – was supposed to pick Sodia up at her place. The car was parked in front of the huge villa and before Flynn even had time to get out, the front door opened and a girl appeared, dressed elegantly yet simply. Her dark orange braid was falling on one her shoulders and a smile illuminated her face when she saw Flynn getting out of the car.

It was only one evening to spend, and Sodia wasn't an unpleasant girl after all, Flynn thought as he smiled back.

* * *

><p>Since the dinner had gone on well, Flynn's mother had agreed to let him go to school on that Friday. Flynn would have gone anyway, even without her consent. Therefore, on that afternoon, he pushed open the door of the lecture hall and got the unexpected – yet pleasant – surprise to see Yuri, sitting nonchalantly at the first row.<p>

The blonde boy hurried to him, feeling unexplainably relieved to see him.

"Yuri, good morning." he greeted with a smile as he sat next to the other boy.

"Yo Flynn. Is your mobile out of batteries?" Yuri asked with a slight touch of sarcasm in his voice.

"Out of- Oh Yuri! I'm sorry, I completely forgot to answer you. I didn't have any time at all yesterday, I'm really sorry!" Flynn apologized profusely. After the dinner, he had been so tired and upset at the day that the first thing he did as he came back home was to collapse on his bed.

"I sent you three messages, you know? That's not very nice." Yuri added some more salt to the wound.

"Three? Oh gosh Yuri, I really am sorry! Let's say I had a tough and busy day yesterday... I know it's no excuse but-"

"Chill, Flynn. I was joking." Yuri cut him in, patting him on the shoulder. "But out of curiosity, what happened?" he asked, not failing to see Flynn's face darkening at the question.

"Just some personal matters." the blonde boy replied with a sigh. "Anyway, about the assignment..."

"Here. All done." Yuri replied as he produced a pile of paper from his bag and dropped it under Flynn's nose. The latter opened surprised eyes and skimmed through the pages.

"This looks... really good." he commented as he kept reading. "Yuri, you're a life saviour. I was about to say that I would probably not have too much time to work on it, but it seems I don't have to worry about that now."

"Well, let's say I had some free time yesterday. My boss was kind enough to give me a day off. Or should I say, a night off." Yuri replied lightly, watching with amusement at Flynn's confused face. "But anyway, next time, try to give a sign of life!"

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything." Flynn replied with a bitter smile.

"It's your parents, right?" Yuri asked head-on, earning a sharp gaze from the other boy.

"Indeed." was his only reply.

Yuri didn't have the opportunity to ask for further details as the lecture began.

* * *

><p>On Saturday, Yuri, between two glasses to clean, sent a short message to Flynn, more for fun than for anything else. Yet by the end of the day, he didn't receive any reply and ended up forgetting about it.<p>

On Sunday, the only messages he received were from Karol, telling him that a huge catastrophe was about to happen: Rita Mordio was arriving on Monday.

At past 11 pm, the waitress commented:

"Hey Yuri, your friend didn't come today."

Yuri merely shrugged, but checked his mobile once more. No new messages.

Well, it wasn't his business after all.

However, for some reason he couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.

**xxxx**

**A/N: Finally managed to update before going to Lapland \o/ Many thanks to you who comment my story! **


	12. September 26th to October 2nd

**September 26****th****–**** October 2****nd**

"Mr Lowell, you were sleeping again today." Raven Schwann stated at the end of the class, when the room was almost empty. The tone bore a mix of reproach and amusement.

"I just dozed off a bit, I still got to listen to most of your lecture." Yuri replied with an innocent smile.

"I'm sure you did, but really, wouldn't it be better for you not to come and rest at home if you're that tired?" Schwann asked as he finished putting his documents in his bag. "Not that I'm encouraging you to skip classes... But that may be healthier for you."

Yuri pretended to think hard about the suggestion, then crossing his arms, he shook his head with a very serious expression on his face:

"It's very tempting but I'm a very serious student and I could never afford skipping a class just to sleep." he replied, which actually elicited a laugh from his lecturer.

"Seriously speaking, try to get sleep at home instead of at school. I'm going to sound like your father, but go sleep early or something. I'm cool enough not to mind your taking your sleeping hours during my classes, but the other lecturers aren't all like me."

'_If I had a father...'_ Yuri started thinking. And he couldn't afford going to sleep early given his job; even though he had to admit that on the previous night, his job hadn't particularly been a problem. Even after sinking in his bed, it had taken him almost two hours to fall asleep, as his mind had been continuously bothered by a certain blonde one. Not that he'd ever admit out loud that he felt concerned or anything similar.

"Well, just remember that you need to pass all your assignments and your exams in the end." Raven went on. "And talking about that, you barely got the passing grade at each of your assignments but I have the feeling that you can do better than that. Much better actually, but it feels like you're only doing the strict minimum."

"Well, you said it yourself. I just need to pass all my assignments and exams, right?" Yuri replied with a shrug, which made the older man sigh.

"Indeed. But be careful while playing that game. You could find yourself on the other side of the line someday. Anyway, I'm not holding you back any longer. Run to your next class, you dormouse!"

Yuri almost felt like replying that he was skipping his next class to meet with Karol but instead he merely nodded and took his leave.

* * *

><p>"YOU!" a strong and feminine voice behind his back made Yuri jump. A few people in the corridor turned round or glanced towards where the voice was coming from; but it took Yuri a full second to decide himself. Even after all those years, he could still recognize the voice perfectly and though he tried putting on an annoyed face, he was actually quite rejoiced to hear it.<p>

Truth be told, he didn't even have to bother about turning round since the girl strode to him and planted herself in front of him, both fists on her hips, a displeased expression painted on her face, her green eyes staring straight at him and – gosh, she still had them? – a pair of goggles on her brown and messy hair.

"You," she repeated, "are the worst guy I ever met on this planet!"

"Yuri!" another voice called for the long-haired boy before the latter got time to reply anything. "I'm sorry, I wanted to warn you but-"

"Shut up, you twat! I wasn't done talking to Yuri!" the girl hit Karol on the head as the latter had joined the two students. While poor Karol was rubbing his head and complaining, the girl turned back to Yuri and pointed a finger at him. "Anyway! What do you have to say for your defence?" she asked, completely ignoring the people staring at her.

"Oh, hey Rita! Long time no see!" Yuri replied, patting her head as if everything was perfectly normal. The girl was dumbfounded by the reaction and slapped Yuri's hand away.

"Don't give me that 'long time no see' crap! Why the hell did you never tell us that you were here? Disappearing like that and not giving a single sign of life!"

"Hey hey, I did tell everyone I was leaving the orphanage!" Yuri said defensively, stepping back as Rita stepped forward.

"Well, we thought that you meant leaving to somewhere far away! You idiot! Why did you keep silent all this time? And I swear, if you dare give a stupid excuse such as 'it was Zagi's fault', I'll kick your ass right now!"

"Then I fear I'll have to run for my ass then." Yuri let out a dramatic sigh.

"Rita, stop it and go to your class already!" Karol intervened. "You asked me to show you your lecture hall, here it is so just go and leave us in peace!"

Yuri didn't fail to notice that the boy was at least two meters far from Rita, as a precaution.

"I changed my mind. I'm sticking with you. I can't believe you didn't tell me earlier that you were meeting Yuri now." the girl replied dryly.

"You're skipping on your first day here?" Karol asked, surprised.

"I already caught up with everything I missed." Rita shrugged, patting her bag – which Yuri noticed was quite huge. He smiled inwardly. She had always been the bookworm type, especially complicated and scientific literature which would have given Yuri a headache after three pages.

Her expression and tone suddenly softened, and it was with that cocky smile of hers which Yuri would always see on her face that she declared:

"Well, let's go somewhere quiet. We have tons of stuff to tell each other I guess!"

"Alright, alright, let's go." Yuri replied, laughing as he saw Karol's desperate expression.

The whole morning passed very quickly in company of his two friends, and soon came lunch time, then afternoon classes.

Which suddenly reminded Yuri of Flynn, as his next class was Project management. The bastard hadn't replied a single one of his messages, which had left Yuri with feelings: either the blonde boy was having problems, or he had decided to ignore Yuri. In either case Yuri was quite pissed. Well, he would ask Flynn in person.

However, Flynn was nowhere to be found in the lecture hall, despite the class starting in two minutes. Yuri frowned but then deduced that Flynn had probably another class at the same time. Still, it was really bothering him now. Flynn had admitted he was having personal problems, but to the point he couldn't even reply a single of his messages? That was ridiculous.

With an annoyed sigh, Yuri walked to the back row and settled down. The lecture started but Yuri's mind was already somewhere – not that it was much different from the usual. After five minutes, his phone vibrated in his pocket and he almost jumped. His first thought was 'Flynn' and yet he hardly hid his disappointment when he saw that the message was from an unknown sender. Frowning, he read it anyway and couldn't help but crack a smile.

'_Confirm this is your number, twat. Rita.'_

So typical of her. Yuri typed a reply and put the phone back in his pocket. Minutes passed, and at some point Yuri grabbed his pencil and started doodling absent-mindedly on the lecture notes the teacher had handed out, barely paying attention to the faint chatters of other bored students or the monotonous voice of the lecturer. He had even stopped looking at the big clock on the wall, always too disappointed to see that time wasn't moving as fast as he wanted it to; how many times did he tell himself that his being here was a huge waste of time? And yet, how many times would he always come anyway for some reason?

If Flynn had been here at least... Yuri's hand stopped moving. If Flynn had been here, then what? It wasn't as if the blonde boy was a particular entertainment during classes, since he was about the only person in the whole classroom to at least pretend to pay attention to the lectures. Dismissing the thought, Yuri was about to resume his doodling when he froze abruptly at the sight of his sketch.

'_I seriously didn't draw that!'_ He stared at the piece of paper, barely believing what the unconscious part of his mind had made him draw. Well, even if his talents were nowhere near those of an artist, it wasn't really difficult to recognize the subject behind those hastily traced lines.

And as if fate had decided to play another trick on him, it was at that moment that the sound of a door opening caught his attention, and the person who stepped in was no one else but the above mentioned 'subject'.

The whole class felt silent as Flynn walked in, said a few words to the lecturer who nodded and took place in the first row. Soon enough, as the lecture resumed, so did the chatters, as if nothing had happened. However, it was another story in Yuri's case. The raven-haired boy was now quite pissed, to say the least. For what reason, he couldn't really tell, but he was pissed.

Time seemed to pass at a torturously slow pace as if to mock Yuri's impatience; and it was only after what felt like centuries that the students were finally set free. Yuri didn't waste time to grab his stuff and stride to Flynn with obvious irritation on his face.

"Hey." he said quite dryly as sole greeting.

Flynn turned round, not even looking confused by Yuri's cold tone.

"Good afternoon, Yuri." he merely replied as he finished putting his stuff in his bag.

It was only when Flynn spoke that Yuri noticed the extreme tiredness in his voice; and not only in voice but also on his traits. Normally, even if the blonde boy never looked particularly cheerful, he still looked... refreshing. But today, on a closer inspection, he looked completely exhausted and barely more dynamic than a sponge, which was quite a rare sight for Yuri.

Irritation gradually turned to concern, and it was with a kinder tone that he asked:

"Tough weekend?"

"Something like that, yes." Flynn replied flatly, then looking at Yuri, he added apologetically: "I'm really sorry for not replying to your messages. I just saw them earlier this afternoon."

"It's OK, don't worry about that. I'm more curious about what kept you so busy." Yuri's tongued had almost slipped and let him say 'concerned' instead of curious but he managed to refrain at the last second.

"Just personal business." came the short reply. "But don't worry, I don't plan to neglect our assignments or anything."

Yuri popped a nerve and slammed a hand on the table on which Flynn's bag was standing, startling the blonde boy.

"I don't care about the assignments." Yuri declared dryly. "You've been acting weird for several days, and believe it or not, I actually am not a jerk enough to ignore that."

"Yuri, as I said, you don't need to worry about that." Flynn replied with a sigh. "I was on a trip this weekend and I just came back today, that's why I was late and am a bit tired but I'll take some rest tonight and it'll be fine."

Yuri wanted to point out that 'a bit' was quite the understatement there; yet before he had time to reply, Flynn added with a faint smile:

"But I appreciate your concern."

"It's not con-Tch, never mind." Yuri replied with an annoyed expression. "Anyway, do you have any class now?"

"No, I was about to go back home but I can stay here if you want us to work on the next assignment."

"Don't be stupid, it's obvious the last thing you need now is to work. I'm accompanying you back home."

"Wh-what for?" Flynn asked, visibly not expecting it.

"To make sure you don't collapse on your way back." Yuri replied, shrugging.

"I'll be fine, really. I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

"Shut up and let's go." Yuri completely ignored the protests as he dragged Flynn away by the arm.

Why was he even bothering with him? Yuri couldn't tell himself, but there was something in the way Flynn kept refusing to tell him anything that definitely irritated him to no end.

In a similar way, Flynn couldn't fathom Yuri's strange mind and he was pretty sure that no matter how hard he tried, he would never manage to. Therefore he merely let Yuri's whims take over. He didn't even try to free his arm from Yuri's grip – it felt oddly pleasant.

Little by little, a new thought formed in his mind, a thought he never imagined he'd have: he had actually missed Yuri's company, even for just a weekend. Especially that weekend. The mere memory of it was enough to take his morale down again.

In order to keep a good relationship with Sodia, Flynn had been compelled to take her on a trip for the whole weekend; and naturally, among all the possible places, his parents had to choose a completely remote village in the mountains where no communication network could reach. And as if accompanying Sodia and showing her around wasn't enough, as soon as Flynn had come back, his mother had demanded a full report and delivered another speech on the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the Vernas.

It was during that trip that Flynn found out with a certain horror that Sodia was actually quite fond of him and that the only thing that prevented her from acting like his fiancée was the fact that they still weren't engaged. No official date had been announced yet, but Sodia had hinted quite strongly being engaged to him would be an appreciable Christmas present.

The mere thought of it was making him boil inside. There was no way he was going to abide by his parents' laws, even if it meant being disinherited.

"Whenever you feel like opening the door, tell me. I'm going to take a nap." Yuri's sarcastic voice snatched him away from his thoughts and he realized that they were already in front of the entrance door of the building.

"Right... sorry." Flynn muttered as he produced a set of keys after fumbling in his pocket. "Thank you for accompanying me, Yuri, and sorry for the trouble." he added, opening the door.

"Hey hey, don't think you'll get rid of me so easily. I'm not leaving until you step foot in your flat."

"You really don't have to-"

"Stop talking and move." Yuri pushed his friend inside without any more ceremony and followed him.

Flynn made a mental note to himself that Yuri was the _very_ persistent type and that it was probably a waste of time to try and make him change his mind once it was set. Then again, he couldn't help but wonder why Yuri was insisting so much on spending his time with him; he was pretty convinced that their opposite characters would never allow them to get along past a 'professional' area.

And yet, here they were, on the threshold of the entrance of his flat. Flynn would then open the door and Yuri would go back, leaving him alone in that too big a dwelling, and again his personal issues would surge back in his mind and ruin the little good mood he had left.

"Hey, you're sure you're alright?" Yuri asked, frowning. It was only at that moment that the blonde boy realized that he had been standing on the doorway for several seconds, his hand on the handle, without any intention of moving. Hitting himself mentally, he finally opened the door and stepped in, oblivious of the strange gaze he was receiving from Yuri.

"Hey! What's wrong with you?" the dark-haired boy asked again, now visibly concerned.

"Yuri, do you want to stay over?" Flynn asked out of the blue, turning to the other boy; then, realizing what he had just blurted out, he quickly added: "I-I mean, since you're here, you can stay for a cup of coffee or something. But I'll understand if you have other things to d-"

"Sure, I don't mind staying, but I want fruit juice or soda." Yuri replied, pushing Flynn inside with slight impatience.

Then, as if it was his own house, he headed for the living room where he settled comfortably on the sofa.

"Or just water if that suits you more." he added, loosening his tie a bit more and undoing another of his shirt's buttons. "It's freaking hot today." he commented to himself.

"I can turn the AC on, if you want." Flynn replied while busying himself with preparing drinks and snacks.

"Nah, don't bother." Yuri waved the suggestion off. "Rather, tell me why you asked me to stay? I thought you'd have other stuff more worthy of your interest to do." There was a faint smirk on his lips, but the two boys were too far apart for Flynn to see it, and thank god they were, for Yuri wasn't able to see the fluster on the blonde's face.

"It's just politeness." he replied after two seconds of silence, trying to sound as detached as possible. "You came all the way here, so I can at least offer you something in exchange."

"Politeness, huh? Sure, why not." Yuri spoke to himself, gazing through the huge windows.

Flynn gave him a troubled glance before bringing a tray to the living room which he put on the table in front of Yuri.

"Help yourself." Flynn sat in the armchair in front of Yuri and grabbed his own cup of coffee. He put the cup to his mouth, desperately trying to ignore Yuri's more-than-open collar and the not-so-unpleasant view of exposed skin displayed under his eyes. But wait, where did those thoughts even come from? The blonde boy blamed his lack of sleep for it and swore to take a full night rest tonight.

Silence filled the room, only broken by the faint crunches that Yuri was making while eating the snacks; and as much as Flynn seemed to find the absence of words rather uncomfortable, Yuri didn't look the slightest bit bothered by it. While holding his cup absent-mindedly between both his hands, the blonde boy's eyes started wandering towards Yuri, printing in his mind the way he was holding his glass, the way he was picking a cracker, the way he nonchalantly brushed away a strand of his long hair...

"Want a pic of me so you can stare at it all day?"

Flynn almost jumped before averting his eyes and pretending to take a sip of his empty cup.

"Why would I even want that?" he asked lightly after a second.

"You just looked so fascinated by my magnificent self that I thought it'd be a good idea." Yuri shrugged; but then his face displayed surprise when he heard the other male stifling a laugh. "What? Don't tell me I'm wrong, that'd hurt my feelings!"

"At least it's not your modesty which is hurting you." Flynn replied with a chuckle.

"OK, you win. I'm out of here." Yuri stood up with a falsely offended expression and pretended to head for the door, but the reaction he received from Flynn surprised him once again.

"No, I'm sorry, Yuri!" the latter stopped him hastily, leaving his armchair to run after Yuri. "I didn't mean it at all. Stay here longer if you want, I really don't mind!"

The dark-haired boy stopped in his track and turned round, then with a smirk, he poked Flynn's forehead.

"I was kidding, you silly. No way something like that could ever hurt my feelings." he said. Still, despite his amused tone, he felt inwardly that there was really something wrong with Flynn. Well, if the latter didn't want to say anything yet, Yuri wouldn't insist – for now. "Tell you what, I'll stay over for dinner too. Hmm... what shall I make tonight?" Yuri snapped his fingers. "Sirloin and béarnaise sauce, with fried potatoes. Since you didn't bother to come yesterday, I'll have you taste that today."

"Yesterday? Come where?"

"The _Square 9_."

"Square 9? The bar-restaurant? Why would you k-"

And everything clicked in Flynn's mind. Yuri's fantastic cooking, the familiar taste of his lunch boxes, his time-consuming job...

"You work there!"

"Took you long enough to realize, slowpoke." Yuri laughed, then added: "Come on, let's go buy food."

Naturally, on the way to the convenience store, Flynn nagged him about why he hadn't told him beforehand that he was working there. Naturally, he felt offended when Yuri replied that it was just for fun. And naturally, Yuri made himself forgiven by the mere promise of cooking more often for him.

Afternoon fled quickly to leave place to evening; an evening which Flynn wouldn't have suspected could be that entertaining – save for one phone call, but when Yuri saw the face his friend pulled as he read the name of the person who was calling, he simply snatched the mobile away and forbade Flynn from answering it. A quick glance at the screen had revealed to him the name of 'Sodia Verna', which didn't give Yuri much more information about the identity of the mysterious person.

They spent the rest of the evening having dinner, watching the television and talking – even though it was mainly Yuri who talked, and only about Karol, Rita, his landlord or his boss. Flynn did notice that he barely mentioned anything about himself, but then again, Flynn wasn't in any position to say anything about it.

Soon, the clock showed 11 pm and yet, Yuri wasn't showing any sign that he wanted to leave; which didn't bother Flynn more than that. He was actually glad to have some company to take his mind off his worries. The two boys were comfortably settled on the sofa and Yuri was watching some random shows, making a comment from time to time which Flynn was barely paying attention to. Would it be polite to ask Yuri if he planned to leave soon? Or would it sound as if he wanted to kick him out?

But the long-haired boy looked like he was having fun and Flynn definitely didn't want to spoil the mood. Therefore he merely continued watching the luminous screen without really listening, until he realized at some point that it had been quite a while since he last heard a comment from Yuri. He shifted on his seat and turned to the boy, only to see the latter deeply asleep. The faint movement made Yuri's head fall on the side, directly on Flynn's shoulder, and the blonde one stiffened at the involuntary contact. His hand reached out to wake the other one up, yet it stopped mid-way as if braked by an obscure force.

The peaceful expression on Yuri's face made Flynn smile and he suddenly got the image of a young child who had fallen asleep after playing the whole day. Except that Yuri was far from being a young child, and he definitely didn't spend his days playing.

With a short sigh, Flynn merely rested his head against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>When Yuri woke up, the first clue that made him suspect that something as abnormal was the unfamiliar feeling of the mattress. The second clue was that he was actually not lying on a mattress, but in a sofa, with a sheet over him. The last clue was when he was awake enough to recognize Flynn's flat.<p>

He sat up abruptly, forcing his memory to remember what had resulted in his being here at this moment, but his thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from behind him:

"Good morning, Yuri. You still have a good half an hour to sleep if you want. If you have any classes this morning, that is."

Yuri didn't reply immediately, busier stretching himself and yawning, then rubbing his eyes before asking with a half-sleepy voice:

"I really fell asleep here?"

"Yes, you did. It was quite late after all." Flynn chuckled. "I hope the couch wasn't too uncomfortable."

"Nah, I slept like a log." Yuri yawned again and turned to his host; immediately he cocked an eyebrow and a smirk appeared on his lips.

Flynn was drying his hair with a towel; but what had caught Yuri's attention was the white shirt he was wearing and which had yet to be buttoned, and the undone red tie hanging over both his shoulders.

"W-What is it?" Flynn asked, feeling suddenly unsecure at the strange gaze he was receiving.

"Nothing, I was just thinking that a lot of girls would pay dear to be granted with the nice view I'm having now." Yuri replied with an amused tone. It took Flynn a full second to grasp the meaning of the sentence before he got into a fluster and looked away, annoyed.

"I don't really appreciate that kind of joke, Yuri." he muttered.

"There's nothing wrong with being good-looking." the other boy shrugged. "Hey, look at me, I'm handsome and I'm not complaining about it."

"Once again, your lack of modesty amazes me. Anyway, feel free to use the bathroom." Flynn added before disappearing in his room.

"Nah, I guess I'll go back to my place now. I don't have any classes this morning. Hey wait!" Yuri jumped off the couch and ran after Flynn. "Let me a few pics of you for the ladies. I'm sure they'll earn me loads!"

But the only answer he received was a door slamming at his nose, and the distinct sound of an 'Idiot' being uttered.

* * *

><p>The rest of the week went on without any major incident, save for Yuri's few attempts at teasing Flynn about his good looks just for the pleasure of having the blonde boy glare at him. He also spent more time in company of Karol and Rita, resulting naturally in less time with Flynn – outside their regular project meetings – but it didn't mean that Yuri didn't notice the more and more serious – or gloomy? – face Flynn was pulling as days passed, even if he kept offering his most charming smiles to the female community as usual.<p>

Curiosity was teasing Yuri about what could plague the apparently perfect student; but the few times he tried to ask what was going on, Flynn would simply give him his usual 'Nothing' reply.

Sunday evening soon arrived, and though more or less unconsciously, Yuri was waiting with a bit of impatience for Flynn to come to the pub. However, the last thing he expected was for the waitress to call for him while he was preparing some dishes and say:

"Hey, come and see!" she said with a mix of excitement and disappointment. "Your friend's with a girl! Do you think she's his girlfriend? Damn, of course she must be... But she doesn't look bad."

Yuri had stopped listening to her and had instead rushed to the kitchen's door to peek outside. He immediately spotted the blonde one, and indeed, next to him, _clinging to his arm_, was a brunette who was giving quite a suspicious look around her. From her clothes, Yuri could tell at first glance that she was probably part of the rich-and-spoiled category, and he took a dislike to her on the spot.

"So? Do you know who she is?" the waitress asked, also peeking.

"Not at all." Yuri replied. But he'd soon do.

As he approached the table where the girl and Flynn were sitting, he could hear the latter speaking:

"I told you you wouldn't like this place." he said with a sigh.

"But you go there! So I wanted to know why you seem to like this... place that much." the girl retorted. "I hope the food is at least acceptable." she added with a grimace.

"It is more than acceptable, Sodia."

Sodia? Why did that name ring a bell? Yuri frowned, not seeming to remember where he had heard the name before. Flynn, seeing him approaching, interrupted the conversation and smiled at him:

"Yuri! So you really work here, don't you?"

"What does it look like, stupid?" Yuri joked. He didn't miss the frown the girl addressed him. "So, not alone tonight?"

"Ah... Yuri, let me introduce you. This is Sodia Verna. Sodia, this is Yuri Lowell. We are in the same university." Was it his imagination or did Flynn look a bit uneasy?

"My pleasure." Sodia gave a short nod. "I am Flynn's fiancée."

"Sodia! We aren't-"

"Not yet, but soon! You said it'd be our Christmas present."

Flynn was ready to bet his head that he had never uttered such a thing, but it was useless arguing with her. Meanwhile, Yuri had frozen on the spot, though he quickly recovered from the news. His fiancée? Her? And wait, Flynn actually had a girlfriend? He had hid it quite well, Yuri thought. Now he was starting to understand why Flynn was looking so depressed; yet at the same time, he felt slightly offended that Flynn had never told him before, even if he knew that his reaction was completely irrelevant. It wasn't his business after all.

"Flynn told me your cuisine is exquisite so I'd like to try it myself." Sodia interrupted his thoughts.

"Of course, Miss. That'll be two dishes of the day then?"

"If you will."

Strangely enough, as Yuri disappeared into the kitchen, something told him that the evening could have been better.

**xxxxx**

**A/N: Finally updated \o/ If I don't update in a week or two, it means I broke my skull open while going to school due to traitorous ice on the streets.**


	13. October 3rd to 9th

**October 3rd - 10th**

"Be grateful I was even kind enough to save a lunchbox for you, Rita." Yuri handed a box to the girl sitting in front of him.

"Thanks!" Rita replied, her eyes sparkling. Despite her "moody character", as Karol liked to call it, Rita was one of the numerous fans of Yuri's cooking and her face would always light up at the perspective of eating one of Yuri's cakes. And today wasn't an exception. With no other formality, she dug in happily and almost squealed in pleasure at the taste.

"Not bad at all." she said, her thumb up.

"Not bad at all? Oh please, don't be so modest and tell me it tastes awesome, Rita." Yuri pretended to be offended.

"Gnew're an gnedjeet, Yuwee." Rita replied, her mouth full.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Yuri waved it off.

"When do you plan to come to the orphanage?" Karol asked, also savouring Yuri's lunch.

"I don't know yet. Maybe when this fury will definitely leave." the older boy replied with a motion of his head towards Rita.

"As if. You're already lucky I didn't smash your head to pieces for keeping silent during all this time." the girl glared at him.

"Yeah, but poor Karol took everything for me, right?" Yuri replied, laughing.

He wouldn't have imagined it could feel so good to be reunited with his friends and be able to laugh like that without fearing any consequences for them. Rita had confirmed that Zagi had been taken away from the orphanage and was nowhere near coming back.

"I'd kick his sorry ass if he did anyway." she had added.

"Or you'd blow him up with one of your experiments." Karol had corrected, earning himself an accurate smack on his head.

During the lunch break, Estelle came to join the group of three, not participating much to the conversations, but definitely laughing at all the anecdotes Karol or Rita were telling about their orphanage. It had been a long time since Yuri last had so much fun, even though at some point, he felt that there was somethiing – or maybe, someone – missing but he didn't what, or who.

* * *

><p>The lecturer had decided to drag the class longer than usual, and it was with a sigh of relief that Flynn finally crossed the exit door and headed for the cafeteria. Naturally, it was already quite full, and as he looked for an empty seat, he spotted a few familiar faces not too far away: Karol, Yuri, the new student girl... and Estellise. They looked like they were enjoying themselves quite a lot, Flynn thought, and even if he had first wanted to join them, something unexplainable made him change his mind and go sit somewhere else.<p>

Perhaps it was the mere fact that he didn't want to disturb them, or perhaps it was the sight of Estellise sitting quite too close to Yuri... Flynn quickly shook the ridiculous thought from his mind. Since when had he become so attached to Yuri? Was 'attached' even the right word? Maybe he just wanted a friend – no matter how different from him – for a change of air. And maybe it happened that Yuri was that kind of friend.

The blonde boy bit his lip. He couldn't afford such a volatile relationship; he couldn't afford involving anyone in his complex family issues. And that's why he had yet to get rid of them before even thinking of resuming his semblance of normal life.

"Hi, can we sit here?" a bunch of hoping girls interrupted his thoughts.

"Of course." Flynn replied with a smile, though maybe it was less bright than usual. The people around him envied him for his talents, skills and wealth; he envied the people around him for being able to lead normal lives. How ironic was it?

"When are you going to have the next concert, Flynn?" a girl asked.

"There should be one near the end of October for the school's anniversary. The exact date isn't sure though." he replied, despite not being in the mood to talk.

"Oooh, that's nice! I'll be sure to attend, then!"

"Me too!"

"So will I!"

"Thank you for your support. Now please excuse me, I'll have to abandon you." Flynn said as politely as he could."

"Oh, already? But you barely ate anything!" One of the girls eye at his quite full tray.

"I have a few things to do." Flynn smiled before grabbing his tray and leaving as quickly as he could.

* * *

><p>Yuri yawned loudly and stretched his arms.<p>

"Can we call it a day? I'm going to fall asleep if we continue." he said boredly, earning a small sigh from Flynn.

"I guess we don't have much choice, then." the blonde boy replied, putting down his pen. "Did you work late yesterday?"

"Oh no, yesterday was Tuesday. Now I only work from Thursday to Sunday. Yesterday I was downtown with Karol and Rita and we stayed quite late outside."

"Oh."

Awkward silence followed, only broken by the ruffling of paper.

"Flynn." Yuri's voice was unusually serious.

"What is it, Yuri?" Flynn asked lightly as he finished packing his stuff.

"Since when are you engaged?"

Flynn almost started at the unexpected question, and he raised his eyes to Yuri but the latter was merely sitting on the edge of the table and looking at him very seriously.

"Three, four, five years? Maybe more? Though it's not official. I don't know." he replied wearily.

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"Listen, can we not talk about that? It's really not worth your interest."

"Man, you really have a problem, you know?" Yuri hopped down the table before grabbing his bag. "Well, whenever you feel more like talking, just tell me."

Without adding another word, he exited the study room, not noticing the hurt gaze on his back.

On his way back home, Yuri couldn't help but feel pissed. Pissed that Flynn was still as stuck up as ever, pissed that he thought himself so mighty that he wouldn't even bother to talk him, and pissed that he had a fiancée. A fiancée, seriously! He still remembered the sudden impulse that had seized him on Sunday, the impulse to poison that girl who was clinging way too much to Flynn. And really, one needed to be actually blind not to notice that Flynn wasn't that pleased to be in her company. Then why the hell was he even bothering with her? Was he some sort of masochist or something?

"Moron." Yuri muttered. Really, he couldn't fathom why he was even bothering with the blonde male. Before realizing it, he had somehow come to find Flynn's company funny, mainly because they lived in such different worlds. For someone who had spent all his childhood in an orphanage and the rest of his adolescence struggling to manage his life, it was a big topic of curiosity to mix with someone who always had their life easy.

Well, at least from an exterior point of view, it looked easy. What the hell was Flynn's problem anyway? He had everything he needed and even more! Money like Yuri'd never have, a damn handsome face, the smartest brain of the university, girls lining up for him (well, Yuri had quite a lot of success too) and still, he never truly looked happy.

And for some fucked up reason, it really irritated Yuri. Before he even knew it, he had started spending much more time that he'd have imagined thinking about the blonde boy; and even though realization hadn't surfaced yet, Yuri had already reached the conclusion that he was getting quite fond of the the other male, though it was quite a particular definition of 'fond'. It was probably closer to 'curiosity' than it was to 'like'.

Well, curiosity was most often born from attraction, wasn't it?

* * *

><p>On that Thursday morning, as he headed for his project management class, Yuri felt a pat on his shoulder and turned round only to face a pair of zapphire eyes.<p>

"Yuri, I apologize for my behaviour yesterday." Flynn declared before Yuri could even say a word. "I guess I was somehow irritated and you were the only person there at that moment, so I kind of..."

"Don't worry about that." Yuri replied, wrapping an arm around the other boy's shoulders and dragging him along to the lecture hall. "Let's go before we're late."

"Yuri, I..." Flynn flushed slightly at the contact. It wasn't the first time Yuri did that, but for some reason, it seemed that recently, he had been getting more and more sensitive to anything involving Yuri.

"I said, don't worry about it. Anyway, if you really want me to forgive you, you have to come with me for lunch." It had become a habit for Yuri now to have at least one extra lunch box, which added a bit to his expenses but it really didn't matter to him.

"Again? Yuri, I don't-"

"What do you mean, 'again'? I don't think my cooking's so bad." Yuri was now standing in front of Flynn, both hands on his hips and looking displeased.

"N-no! I didn't mean it like that! I just don't want to abuse of your generosity." The blonde boy replied hastily. "If anything, I should be the one to invite you!"

To Flynn's relief, a grin crossed Yuri's face.

"I was kidding, you idiot. You said so yourself, you can't cook for crap and I actually value my health, and I really don't fancy being invited to some flashy restaurants. So do me a favour: just shut up and say yes."

Flynn blinked once, then smiled warmly.

"Then I guess I don't have much choice."

At lunch, as planned, both boys were sitting at a table at the cafeteria and while Yuri looked particularly amused, Flynn's face was rather displaying perplexity. In his hand was a set of chopsticks and he obviously had no clue how to use them.

"Hm Yuri?" he asked after a few seconds of contemplation.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure I can't just eat this with a fork?"

"Absolutely certain. This is a Chinese dish and you have to eat it the Chinese way." Yuri asserted.

"I'm not sure I can..."

"Just try, like this." Yuri demonstrated skilfully as he picked a piece of beef from his box and put it in his mouth. "Shee? It'sh eashy." he added.

"I seriously think I can't, Yuri." Flynn shook his head.

"You amaze me." Yuri replied as he stood up from his chair and walked round the table before placing himself right behind Flynn. "You play the violin magnificently and yet you can't even use chopsticks. Here, I'll show you."

Before Flynn got time to reply, Yuri slipped his hand over Flynn's and placed the blonde boy's fingers on the wooden sticks.

"Like this. You use this finger to move this chopstick, and this one acts as a lever, and then you pick up the food like this." he explained patiently. "Hey, relax a bit, you're completely tense."

_'Of course I'm tense!'_ Flynn thought, struggling against himself not to snatch his hand away. The feeling of Yuri's fingers brushing against his wasn't supposed to make him so uncomfortable, and yet it did. Why? He had no idea. They were both boys, there was nothing abnormal about it, was it? Still, something buried deep inside of him was telling him that his reaction wasn't normal. Especially when he actually didn't dislike the touch. Nor did he dislike the warm breath of Yuri near his ear.

"Open your mouth, c'mon on.

"Yuri, it's fine really, you don't have to-" But Flynn was cut off as a piece of beef was almost shoved into his mouth.

"Easy, right?" Yuri smirked, noticing the unvoluntary blush on Flynn's cheeks. "Want me to show you again?"

"No, that will do, thank you Yuri." Flynn replied hastily, trying to withdraw his hand.

"When you're done acting all lovey dovey, please tell us." a mocking voice interrupted them.

"Ooh, Rita, Karol! I'm sorry I didn't make enough food for you." Yuri greeted them with a broad smile.

"That's OK, we have our own lunch." Karol replied as he put his tray down next to Yuri's seat.

"So, what exactly were you two doing?" the impulsive girl inquired with a mischievous smile.

"Just showing Mr Perfect here how to use chopsticks." Yuri shrugged as he went back to his seat. Flynn wanted to protest at the nickname but was cut off by Rita.

"You know you've just made half the girls here die of dehydration by over-drooling?" she sneered while sitting next to Karol.

"Including you?" the latter asked before immediately protecting his head. It wasn't enough to evade Rita's skills at smacking him.

While Yuri shrugged, Flynn actually gave a quick glance around him and saw indeed that several groups of girls were chatting in a low voice among themselves and giggling annoyingly. What was wrong with the female population? Flynn wondered. There was nothing funny about Yuri feeding him; it was actually pretty embarrassing! And the other boy didn't even look fazed by it, as if everything was normal.

"Anyway, I understand your pain, Flynn. Yuri tried making me eat with chopsticks once too, and I failed totally." Karol said, handing a fork to the blonde boy who took it gratefully.

And while he was eating, the lingering feeling of Yuri's fingers on his didn't disappear.

* * *

><p>On Friday morning, as Yuri reached the school's gates, he saw booths everywhere in the campus, with students distributing flyers to other students and chatting enthusiastically with them in a global ruckus that could be heard from outside the school. There was even music and free food on several booths, almost like a party. The long-haired boy cocked an eyebrow, looking around him as he walked towards the buildings before asking a random boy who was also walking by what the hell all that fuss was about.<p>

"The university's activities and societies have started and they're advertising for you to join."

"Aren't they pushing it a bit too much about the advertising part?" Yuri inquired.

"Well, here you pay a fee for each society you join, and the student council gets a percentage of the fees. So yeah, you'd want as many people as possible to join your society."

That explained a lot, Yuri thought. He shrugged. It's not like he could afford joining any society anyway, and it's not like he was actually interested. Without any other glance for the stands, he headed for his lecture hall.

In the afternoon, he was supposed to meet with Flynn to work on a assignment but he somehow felt quite lazy on that day, especially knowing that he had to go work afterwards. However, as he reached the entrance of the library and saw the face Flynn was pulling while waiting for him, he realized that the blonde male looked even more tired than him.

"Tough day?" he asked.

"Kind of." Flynn replied with a sigh. "I can't count how many times I was asked to join this or that club today. The fencing club was particularly insisting."

"Heh, everyone wants the great Flynn Scifo in their club. It'd mean a dramatic source of income thanks to your fanclub which'd follow you even to hell." Yuri smirked, but seeing that Flynn didn't seem to find it funny at all, he sighed. "I was joking."

"I know, Yuri. Anyway, let's go work."

"Are you sure you want to? You don't really look that well." Even if Yuri was actually concerned about his friend, he was also hoping he'd be able to skip today's session and get some sleep before going to work.

"I'm fine, don't worry." came the usual reply.

And it was actually that repetitive reply that started pissing Yuri off. Why did that idiot keep pretending he was fine when he obviously was not? One needed to be blind not to see that there was something else bothering Flynn, and Yuri was ready to bet it had something to do with his family again. Not that the stupid perfect boy would ever tell Yuri.

On an impulse, he grabbed Flynn's wrist, stopping him from walking any further.

"You're getting annoying." he let out sharply. When the only answer he received from Flynn was a troubled and questioning look, he went on: "Stop fucking saying you're fine when you look like you're gonna crash."

"Yuri, I think I know my state better than you do." Flynn snapped back at him. "So please refrain from drawing your own conclusions."

"What's the problem with you? You- Oh gosh, let's get out of here first." Yuri said with annoyance after a few pair of eyes turned to them. They were in a library after all, which was supposed to be a silent place. He forcefully dragged Flynn outside before resuming:

"As I was saying, what the hell is wrong with you? Too attached to that image of perfection that you can't even admit it when you need a break? Seriously, just looking at you sometimes really pisses me off!"

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that but I'm not asking you to look at me!" Flynn replied dryly. "But shall I remind you that you're the one who always insist on spending your time with me?"

Yuri opened his mouth to reply, but no fitting answer came to him for the simple reason that Flynn was actually quite right. But his pride wouldn't allow him to admit so.

"Well guess what? I do that because I thought you actually appreciated having some company, but I guess not."

"I don't need your sympathy." Flynn let out icily.

"It's not sympathy! Gosh, how thick-headed can you be?" Yuri raised his tone a bit more.

A few students were now gathering around them in curiosity, which didn't go unnoticed by Flynn who pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Listen," he said on a cooler tone, "Can we just stop this? I think we're probably both tired and need some rest. Let's just cancel today's meeting and see about it later."

"... Alright." Yuri replied grumpily after a second of silence. He wasn't that much a fan of public dramas after all.

The walk back was, to say the least, very awkward as none of them spoke. But then, as they reached the school's gates and Flynn was about to say goodbye, he stopped dead at the sight of the car parked in front of him.

"Please, no..." he muttered under his breath, but loudly enough for Yuri to hear him. The long-haired boy looked at the car – a black Mercedes – and whistled.

"Is there a minister or something who's supposed to come here?" Yuri wondered out loud, but then the reply came by itself as the car's back door opened and he saw who got out. His face darkened.

"Flynn, good afternoon." Sodia greeted the blonde boy with a smile.

"Sodia! What are you doing here?" Flynn asked, trying as much as he could to hide the mixed feelings in his tone.

"Well, I thought I'd make your a surprise by coming to pick you up here, so I phoned the university to get your schedule. Good afternoon, Yuri if I remember well?" she nodded to Yuri.

"Yeah, hi." the latter replied flatly.

"Sodia, that's very nice of you to have come..." Flynn started a bit hesitantly.

"... but unfortunately we were planning to go study at my place a bit." Yuri cut him in, earning him a surprised look from both Sodia and Flynn.

"Study? Then why don't you stay at school for that?" the brunette asked, frowning.

"It's too noisy." Yuri shrugged.

"Flynn, if you need to study, you can come at my place. I'll have refreshments and snacks prepared for you, and we could have dinner together afterwards." Sodia offered, much to Yuri's displeasure who put a hand over Flynn's shoulder and replied:

"But that won't be possible since we have to work _together_. See, we have assignments that we need to hand in _together_. So, sorry to spoil your evening with your _fiancé_, but school comes first. I'm sure you understand." he added with a nod.

"Flynn! Can't you even have a break once in a while? Surely you can work on your assignment later." Faint annoyance could now be heard in her voice.

"I..."

There were several times when Flynn wished to be alone above anything else, and now was one of those times. Between Yuri's insolence and Sodia's insistence, he was in a very delicate situation. Wisdom was telling him to comply to Sodia; it was naturally the smartest choice as it would allow him to keep a good relationship with her – and to avoir his parents' wrath.

But it seemed that today wasn't his day for being wise.

"I'm sorry, Sodia, but we really need to work on that assignment." he finally replied, trying not to think of the consequences of her pinching her lips and her cold tone. "But I'll call you again for another dinner. At your favourite restaurant." he added with a charming smile.

"T-Then I guess I don't have much choice." Sodia replied with a faint blush.

Yuri wasn't able to stand that scene much longer. Dragging Flynn along by the arm while waving at Sodia, he intervened happily:

"Thank you very much for your understanding, and don't worry about Flynn, I'll take very good care of him!"

The girl, shocked by such familiarity, opened her mouth but it was already too late: the two boys were already far away.

* * *

><p>"Yuri... that wasn't very... diplomatic." Flynn let out as they were still walking.<p>

"Oh come on, it was written all over your face that you didn't want to go, so I saved your life. Be at least a bit grateful. And no, it's not out of sympathy." Yuri added with a sigh.

"Yuri, I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean what I said. It's just that... you're actually the strangest person I met."

"Hm? I'm perfectly normal, you're the weird one. What are you even doing in a university like this one? It's totally below your league."

"I like it here." Flynn merely replied.

"Why?"

The blonde boy shrugged. "I just like it."

The reply surprised Yuri; he had expected some more logical and rational explanations than that, he had even hoped a bit that Flynn would tell him it was because of his parents or anything along that line, but the latter didn't look keen on adding anything else.

"What about you?" he asked instead.

"Convenience. It's the closest big town to my orphanage. Here we are." Yuri added as he picked out a set of keys from his pocket. "Just a warning though: my place is not a palace like yours."

"Are we really going to your place?" Flynn asked, surprised. "I mean, I thought you didn't want to work on our assignment."

"I don't, but it has to be done somehow. And it doesn't prevent me from inviting you over while we're here. But feel free to go back to your awaiting fiancée if you want." Yuri said with a neutral tone.

'You seem to dislike her."

_'No shit, Sherlock.'_ Yuri thought. "I'm not the one who's engaged to her." he shrugged. "So, are you coming or not? I don't mind leaving all the work to you this weekend since I'll be working." he added, smirking.

"I guess we can start working on it now." Flynn gave up and followed Yuri inside the old building and up the wooden stairs to the fourth floor.

Yuri's studio was actually just one room about less than half the size of Flynn's living room, but it still didn't feel particularly small. Over there was standing the desk and two chairs, at the other corner was a low chest of drawers next to a white cupboard, on his right was a door – probably the shower – and on his left was the bed. Despite the bare white walls, Flynn felt strangely warm as he stepped into the room. Maybe it was because of the low wooden roof above his head, or because of the slight mess – a few clothes lying around, papers and notebooks scattered here and there, some personal items on the desk and the chest of drawers.

And somehow he instantly liked Yuri's place. It felt more... alive, as ridiculous as it may sound, and even if he disapproved of the mess, he concluded that it fitted Yuri's image quite well.

"It was a former attic, but the landlady made some work to turn into an accomodation." Yuri explained as he dropped his bag and jacket on a chair nearby. "I was lucky to get it. Just put your stuff on the bed."

"How lucky?" Flynn inquired, hesitating a bit as to leave his own jacket and bag on Yuri's bed, but the other boy just snatched them away from Flynn's hands and dropped them on the mattress.

"There were a few other students who were interested in having it. The rent's not too expensive, it's close to the university and the neighbourhood isn't too noisy." Yuri removed his tie and hung it to the back of a chair before unbuttoning his collar.

"How did you get it then?"

Yuri turned to Flynn and walked to him with an unexpected seductive smile, then, lifting Flynn's chin with one finger, he replied:

"I told you, she's a land_lady_. I guess my natural charm was enough to convince her."

Then he dropped on the bed and laughed.

"Just kidding. I happened to be the only one with a job, so she trusted me more to pay the rent. What's wrong?" he asked, noticing that Flynn had turned a strange shade of red.

The blonde boy had stopped breathing for five full seconds and the pace of his heartbeat had suddenly increased uncontrollably when Yuri had touched him – again. And that smile, that arrogant yet undeniably inviting smile... Wait, what the hell was he thinking again? Yuri was a guy, for heaven's sake, a guy! Putting on his best neutral face, he shook his head and replied:

"Nothing, I was just thinking that your landlady had done a good job turning an attic into this. But there's no place to cook?"

"Nah, the kitchen's outside, in the corridor. Anyway, let's get started and be done with that annoying assignment... I have to go work in three hours. Take a seat." Yuri patted the mattress next to him."

Oh, sure..."

Flynn sat down a bit uneasily on the bed and proceeded with taking out some papers and a pen from his bag, unaware of the impish smile on the corners of Yuri's lips as his dark eyes rested on the blonde male with a strange glint in them.

Teasing him was quite the fun.

* * *

><p>Naturally, it was right when Flynn was about to leave Yuri's place that it started raining. Nevermind it, he phoned a taxi.<p>

"Do you want me to drop you at the Square 9?" he offered.

"Nah, no need to. I'll walk there."

"Are you sure? The rain isn't too heavy but still..."

"Don't worry about it. I still have an hour before going. It'll have stopped raining by then, maybe."

"Fine." Flynn replied with a sigh. "I'll see you on Monday then." he added, heading for the door.

"Not on Sunday?"

"I'm not sure I'll be able to come."

"Your fiancée. Right."

"I wasn't very nice to her today, so I have to make up for it somehow."

"Sure. Well, have fun." Yuri replied as he opened the door for Flynn as a clear invitation for him to get out.

And somehow, the latter actually felt hurt by the gesture but reasoned himself by thinking that he was only misinterpreting things. Still, the annoyed look on Yuri's face told him that he was only fooling himself by thinking so. As he exited the studio, he couldn't help but feel that he had missed something very important before leaving, though he was unable to grasp what.

To hell with it. His life had nothing to do with Yuri. What did the latter know about his life anyway? For Yuri, who didn't have any responsibilities, it was easy to always act as he wanted without thinking of the consequences; but Flynn's situation was different.

With a sigh, he hopped into the taxi which was waiting for him.

* * *

><p>As expected, Flynn didn't show up on Sunday, but Yuri didn't care as he had called over Karol, Rita and Estellise to the pub. At first, he hadn't planned to phone the pink-haired girl, but after all, she was more pleasant company than Flynn, and the more, the merrier.<p>

"Flynn isn't here tonight?" Karol asked while eating. "You told us he usually comes here every week. This is delicious by the way!" he made a thumb up.

"His Majesty has probably more important stuff to do." Yuri replied with a shrug.

"I'm sure he must be quite busy with school work and since club activities have resumed, he probably has less time on his hand." Estellise took Flynn's defence.

"Which clubs are you in?" Rita asked the girl while pouring copious amounts of ketchup on her plate.

"Well, I'm in the choir and the painting club. How about you?"

"I'm in the rugby club! And the orchestra, of course." Karol replied.

"I haven't decided yet. I just arrived last week so I need to see how to organize my schedule, but I'll probably join the experimental sciences club. They seem to have access to big labs and all, that should be interesting, even if the fee is a bit high."

"What a surprise..." Karol and Yuri said in unison. "And you?" the former asked the latter.

"Not joining anything."

"Why so?"

"Don't want to, and I have no time with my job anyway."

"I was certainly surprised to learn that you work so many hours a week. How do you manage with your studies?" Estellise inquired.

"Somehow." Yuri replied with a shrug. "Not much choice anyway."

"Yuri, back to the kitchen before the boss skins you!" a waitress who was walking serving drinks told him.

"Yeah, yeah, right away. Man, my boss' a dictator." Yuri grunted.

"You've been here with us for almost twenty minutes, I can understand your boss." Rita retorted. "I'd have kicked you out for long if you spent all your time chatting with customers."

"Remind me to poison your food next time, Rita!" Yuri said as he walked off, waving at his friends.

The brunette stuck out her tongue while the two others were laughing at the scene. However, a minute after, as they all calmed down, Karol spoke again:

"Hey, don't you think Yuri's been kinda strange?"

"How strange? He's still the same stupid idiot."

"I noticed so as well." Estelle nodded. "I mean, that he has not been acting like his usual self."

"How so?" Rita cocked an eyebrow.

"Like, he was a bit pissed when I mentioned Flynn. And even before."

"You're thinking too much. He's probably just tired because it's the end of the week and he still has to work, that dumbass."

"Yeah, you're probably right..."

* * *

><p>"Flynn, guess what?" Sodia asked with a bright smile as she was holding a glass of red wine. They were both at a high-class restaurant chosen by herself and now enjoying fine, Indian cuisine.<p>

"What is it?" Flynn pretended to be curious.

"You know my birthday is coming next month, don't you?"

"Of course, on November 6th. How could I forget?" he smiled at her.

"Well, my parents are going to talk to yours about a present for me." Sodia said proudly.

"Are they?" Flynn managed to keep his smile, though in his head a dreadful thought was slowly taking shape.

"I'm sure you already guessed the present." the Verna heiress beamed, playing with the tip of her braid. "They are thinking of choosing that date to celebrate both my birthday and our official engagement." she finished her sentence, now literally radiating with satisfaction.

"I-Is that so? Wow, that's... great news!" Flynn's thoughts were confirmed, though for once, he wished he had been wrong.

"Right? Well, my parents still have to see with yours about the ceremony, the guests and all those details, but I'm sure it will be great!"

Seeing how honest and truthful her smile was, Flynn could do nothing but give her back a warm smile as well.

**xxx**

**A/N: Xmas present for you \o/ An update, woah! *pats self for actually managing to finish the damn chapter* **


	14. October 10th to 16th

**October 11****th**** – 18****th**

The alarm clock rang, making Yuri growl under his blanket. He stretched an arm to turn it off and let if fall off to the side of his bed, feeling even less motivated to get up as usual. Maybe he could skip school today, even though exams were approaching quite quickly – on the next week, more accurately – and the lecturers were pressing the students not to skip the last classes which were mainly aimed at revising everything they had learnt previously.

Still, as he made an attempt at sitting up, he realized that his arms were shaking slightly, despite feeling much hotter than usual. His throat protested painfully when he tried to emit a sound, and the dizziness that was making his head throb finished to convince him that there was something wrong.

'_You'll catch a cold if you walk back home with no umbrella!'_

Seemed like Karol was right. Well, at least he had a good excuse to skip school, Yuri thought as he fell back to sleep, buried under his blanket.

* * *

><p>"Yuri caught a cold." Karol said, laughing. "I told him yesterday. He just sent me a message."<p>

"That idiot." Rita shrugged. "Wanna go and visit him?"

Both of them were on their ways to the school's exit as their classes were over for the day. Despite being quite clear, the sky was still partly hidden by dark clouds here and there, and it was the sight of those that made Karol grimace.

"I wanna go back while the weather's still OK. And besides, Yuri said he was fine and there was no need to worry. He'll probably come back to school tomorrow."

"Whatever he says then. That idiot is big enough to take care of himself after all." Rita shrugged. "Oh crap, the bus is already there! Hurry up, I don't want to miss it like the other time!"

At that same moment, there was a rumble of thunder in the distance.

* * *

><p>'<em>I have fever. Will be fine by tomorrow. Sorry for today's meeting.'<em> Flynn read before letting out a sigh. He could have told him _before_ the meeting hour to prevent the blonde boy from waiting for a whole half an hour. But then again, Flynn figured that Yuri had probably been sleeping all this time. Shoving back his phone in his pocket, he got ready to head back home when the absurd thought of checking Yuri's state crossed his mind. At the same time, he didn't want to disturb him, but something unexplainable was prompting him to turn left at the school's gates instead of right.

The way to Yuri's place was not too difficult to remember and it was only a matter of minutes before Flynn found himself in front of the entry phone, looking for Yuri's name. As he was about to press the button, his finger stopped for a second. Seriously, what was he going to say? That he just happened to walk by and decided to take a few minutes to say hi? That was ridiculous, and no doubt Yuri would laugh at him for that. It was just a cold after all, not like Yuri was on the verge of death or anything similar. But it was also possible that Yuri was sleeping, in which case Flynn didn't want to wake him up.

Oh, never mind it.

Flynn pressed the button and waited, slightly nervous.

"_Yeah?"_

"Y-Yuri, good afternoon. It's Flynn."

Silence followed, during which the blonde boy wondered if he was supposed to add something else, but Yuri beat him to it.

"_Last floor."_ he reminded, unlocking the door.

A minute later, Flynn was facing the half-open wooden door to Yuri's studio and took it as an invitation to come inside.

"Yo." Yuri's voice wasn't as deep as usual, pretty much hoarse but still audible. The long-haired male was sitting on his bed, his back against the wall and a blanket covering his shoulders, a steaming cup of tea in his hands. His normally pale cheeks were now slightly pink. "What brings you here?"

"I..." Flynn paused a second before lying blatantly. "I thought you'd be interested in today's notes. The lecturer gave us quite a lot of indications and useful advice for the exam next week, and since you were absent today, I thought you may want the notes." He said rapidly while opening his bag to pick out some papers.

"Hey, hey, chill dude. Have mercy of me and spare me any school talk for today." Yuri interrupted him after taking a sip of his cup. "Though I appreciate the effort."

Flynn looked at his friend and chuckled, then he put his bag down and went to sit on the edge of the bed, not too close but not too far from Yuri either.

"Sorry." he said with a smile. "I should have started with the most important: how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I've seen worse. Just caught a damn cold yesterday." Yuri shrugged.

"Because of the rain." It wasn't a question. "I told you to be more careful. Did you take some medicine for your fever?"

"Yes mom, I did. And yes, I'll be more careful in future. Or not." Yuri replied with a smirk.

Flynn glanced at him and shook his head at the mention of 'mom', but wasn't able to hide the amused expression on his face. Even if he found it strange for Yuri to say such a thing despite being an orphan, he didn't show it; it'd have probably been quite rude. And before he could stop himself, his curiosity took over:

"Do you remember about when you arrived at your orphanage? I mean, if you don't mind telling-"

"Nope, not a memory. I was told I was found in a cradle at the orphanage's door, apparently a few weeks after I was born. So no way I can remember."

"I see..." Flynn replied, for lack of anything else to say.

"Anyway, my throat is hurting like hell whenever I talk, so how about you tell me about your life instead?" Yuri suggested with an amused smile.

"My... life? Nothing fascinating, really."

"Oh come on, you came here, at least keep me a bit entertained."

"I don't know if you could call my life entertaining." Flynn replied with a small sigh.

"Hey, I'm trying hard to do the conversation here, so give it some will too."

"Alright, alright."

And that was how Yuri learnt that Flynn had been taught since he was a kid about the functioning of a company, how to manage budgets, how to speculate, when to sell or buy shares, how to increase turnovers; basically how to lead a big business. Yuri failed to understand half of Flynn's explanations, only getting that his upbringing was definitely the reason why he was so uptight. The word 'fun' was probably not even in his vocabulary.

"Basically I should be able to have my own company now, but I still need to study more." Flynn summarized.

"Workaholic." Yuri declared.

A sudden flash lit up the room through the window, immediately followed by a loud rumble. Not two seconds later, the typical beating of the rain on the window panes could be heard.

"I guess I'll have to call a taxi again." Flynn commented to himself as he gazed outside.

"Or you can stay here until it stops raining while telling me what you did during your undoubtedly fascinating project management class." Yuri suggested with a good hint of sarcasm, which Flynn didn't seem to pick up since he replied:

"Oh, of course. Let me show you. We basically went through old exams with typical questions that-"

"Flynn, Flynn, Flynn." The long-haired male interrupted him with a very serious tone. "I was obviously joking." He added as he finished his cup.

"Oh... Sorry. I guess the last thing you want to do while being sick is to study." Flynn replied with a smile.

"You've never been sick before?"

"Of course I've been, but it was never anything serious enough to bother about."

"It was never anything serious enough to stop you from studying, you mean. As I said before, workaholic."

"I'm not a workaholic!" The blonde boy defended himself. "I just believe that studying is the only way to achieve your goals, and it's actually not that bad."

"Yeah, whatever you say... And what are your goals, exactly? Graduate, get an awesome job that earns you millions, find a hot chick and marry her? Oops, my bad. You already have someone." Yuri sneered.

"Yuri, don't start on that again..." Flynn said with a sigh of annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah sorry."

Uncomfortable silence followed. What had prompted Yuri to give the conversation such a turn, he didn't know it himself; and now he almost regretted mentioning Sodia implicitly after seeing Flynn's darkening face. That had been a stupid move, he told himself. He had been quite happy already that Flynn had even bothered coming to his place, and now he was spoiling the mood with a stupid remark. _'Good job, Yuri.'_ he thought, inwardly pissed at himself.

"I'm gonna go make myself another cup of tea." He finally broke the silence. "Want something to drink?" he asked, getting rid of the blanket and hopping down the bed.

"No, that will be fine. Thank you. I think I should take my leave, I don't want to bother you any longer."

"Stay." Yuri replied immediately and coughed to hide the faint embarrassment in his voice. "I mean, it's still raining quite a lot outside. And you're not bothering me." He added as he exited his room.

Flynn used that opportunity to scan the room once again. There was still the same mess – maybe a bit more – and the same comfortably warm atmosphere, and it wasn't due to any heating system. His hand wandered in spite of himself over the warm spot where Yuri had been sitting not even a minute ago, his fingers brushed past the fabric of the duvet that had been wrapping Yuri's shoulders only to trail back over the linen sheet covering the bed where Yuri slept. He tried imagining Yuri sleeping and the first word that came to his mind was 'handsome'.

No, no, no. Well, yes, Yuri was indeed quite handsome, even Flynn had to admit that, but normally people looked cute when they slept, not handsome. Which was actually not a much better choice of word, Flynn reckoned.

And somehow the latter thoughts brought a pink tint to Flynn's cheeks. Hell, what was wrong with him? He wasn't stupid enough not to notice his weird reactions about anything concerning Yuri, and yet wasn't able to put a name to that behaviour, and it was irritating him to no end.

"Sorry for the wait."

Flynn started at the voice and quickly looked away with a small cough before turning his eyes to Yuri again.

"What, did I scare you?" Yuri teased him as he went back to sit at his spot.

"Don't be silly. A-Anyway, I guess I'll go back after all. It seems like it's calmed down outside, so I can walk back home. I have an umbrella."

"You sure?" Yuri cocked an eyebrow. "I don't mind you staying here."

"I need to let you rest. We'll see each other tomorrow, probably." Flynn said as he stood up and walked to the door.

"Yeah, probably." Yuri replied, barely hiding his disappointment. He followed the blonde one to the door and saw him off.

It was only after a while that he realized that Flynn hadn't even left him his notes. Putting his cup on the low table and lying flat on his back, he chuckled.

"Flynn, you idiot."

* * *

><p>On Tuesday, a familiar black Mercedes was parked at the school's entrance again, and when Flynn excused himself to Yuri, saying that he couldn't decline Sodia's offer to drive him home twice, the dark-haired boy shrugged and left with a mere 'See you'. Flynn struggled hard to hide his hurtful expression and to display a smile instead.<p>

On Wednesday, Flynn received a phone call from Sodia while working with Yuri on their final assignment.

"Can you call back later? I'm working right now... Yes, I understand the preparations are important to you, they are to me too but surely this can wait until tonight... No, I'm not at home right now... Yes, at the university... Yes, with Yuri, why?... We're trying to finish an assignment. Listen, I'll call you this evening, is that fine with you?... Great, see you tonight then." Flynn put his mobile back on the table with a sigh while Yuri pretended he didn't hear anything of the conversation.

On Thursday, Flynn finally agreed to join the fencing club, and that was when Yuri learnt that he was actually the best fencer of the region, the "Ace" as his club called him, having won several competitions and all, including the yearly schools' tournament on the previous year. Another talent to add to Mr Perfect, Yuri thought. It didn't even surprise him anymore.

"When will you be practicing? I wanna see the Ace in action."

"There's nothing to see, really, Yuri." Flynn replied, a bit embarrassed. "And please, I'm far from being an ace."

"Oh, stop being so modest. So, when?"

"This afternoon, at 5.30!" another boy replied as he was walking by. "See you there, Flynn!"

Naturally, Yuri was there too, even if he regretted not being able to stay till the end since he had to go work. But what he had seen from the practice had been enough for him to confirm his opinion of Flynn: a serious bastard way too skilled and too good-looking for his own good. And the girls who were also watching seemed to agree with him.

On Friday, while most students were starting to feel the stress of the coming exams, Yuri didn't care one least bit, which barely surprised Karol and Rita, though for different reasons.

"He's a genius." Karol asserted.

"He's a slacker and a procrastinator." Rita retorted.

Yuri merely shrugged at the comments.

"I'll come to the orphanage after the exams." he said, and Karol's face lit up immediately.

"Really? That's great! I'll tell everyone about it! That's so cool, isn't it, Rita?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." The brunette pretended to put on a neutral face.

"Oh come on, you were looking forward to it as much as I was!"

"Shut up, twat!" Rita punched the smaller boy on the head.

"Ouch! Stop hitting me already!" Karol winced. "Anyway, what are you doing here in the library?"

"Waiting for Flynn."

"Ooh, is that a date?" Rita sneered. "Seems like you two see each other quite often."

"It'll probably be the last time." Yuri replied with a laugh. "We just happened to be partnered to do some crappy assignments."

"Sounds heartbreaking." Rita commented, not looking heartbroken at all. And speaking of the devil, here he comes. Well then, I guess I'll be off to my class."

"And I'll head back home!" Karol exclaimed, raising both his arms in victory. "It feels great to finish school early on a Friday."

"Shut up and just go already!" Rita threatened him with a book, making the other run away with a huge grin while waving at his friends. "Anyway, see you next week, I guess?" she addressed Yuri.

"Yeah, see you."

A few minutes later, he along with Flynn were in one of the study rooms, trying to finalize their last assignment. Yuri was hardly focused on the work, even if he pretended to; though Flynn seemed to consider Yuri's lack of comments pretty normal. The whole job was wrapped up within an hour, after which the long-haired male asked lightly:

"Wanna come to the Square 9 tonight? Since you didn't come last Sunday."

"Oh, I wouldn't have minded, but I already have plans tonight." Flynn said while putting his notes in order.

"With your fiancée." Yuri stated, his tone unchanging.

"Future fiancée. And yes, I'm meeting with her parents to talk about the preparation of the engagement." Flynn replied as naturally as possible.

"When is that?"

"It should be held in early November."

"And you're fine with that?"

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"Dunno, just a hunch that maybe you're not really happy with that."

Flynn bit his lower lip. There it came again. Why did Yuri always need to pour salt to the wound? Of course he wasn't really happy with that, and saying so was quite the understatement. But no matter under which angle he was looking at it, there was no way avoiding the engagement for now. Well, at least it wasn't a wedding; he could say he wanted to graduate first before thinking of a wedding, for administrative purposes. Even his mother had done the same.

"Yuri," he finally said, "I'm not asking much from you; just that you stop talking about this."

"But seriously, what's the problem? I mean, fine, I don't know crap about your family business, money or anything like that, but hell, why would you have to get engaged to a girl you don't even like?" Yuri was now staring at him in a way that made him feel uneasy.

"It's not that I don't like her!" Flynn protested as he stood up and grabbed his bag. "I like her, like a friend! But there's too much at stake for me to be selfish. Yuri, you said you don't know anything about the business world, then let me explain to you in a simple way: you don't achieve success with feelings, but with logic and rationality."

"Then just leave that damn business world!" Yuri raised his voice, standing up as well.

"That's easy for you to say! But that's the only thing I can do! I was raised in that world."

"Then do it on your own! Why do you need some crappy engagement to make money?"

"That's what you call an alliance, Yuri." Flynn replied, exasperated.

"An alliance? Like in those times when you'd give your daughter to marry some unknown king from another kingdom so that he wouldn't attack you? That sounds ridiculous."

"It's how it works. Life's not as carefree as you want it to be, Yuri. There are rules to be followed."

"That's crap. I've always lived my life as I wanted, and I'm happy with that." Of course that wasn't the complete truth, but Flynn didn't need to know that.

"I'm glad for you, but that way of living won't last eternally."

"Well, even if it doesn't, at least I can say that I lived some years of my life doing what I wanted and not what other people wanted me to do. That's what you call freedom."

"That's being completely irresponsible. But I feel like I'm talking to a wall." Flynn let out angrily. He had barely had any fit of anger like that one, but somehow today, he felt an irrepressible urge to let everything flow out, even if Yuri had nothing to do with it. Well, he had asked for it.

"That should be my line." Yuri snapped. "I'm only trying to make you realize you could be much happier if you wanted to."

"Why would you even care about my happiness?"

"Because I-" Yuri stopped dead, looking for something to say, but no valid reason came to him. Because they were friends? As if. Because he cared about him? Oh please, that was utterly cheesy and ridiculous. Because he simply liked him? Well...

"Who cares about the reasons?" he eventually asked back, quite annoyed now. "I'm just saying that if you don't wanna get engaged to that girl, then don't!

"And how am I supposed to make both my family and hers understand that? It's easy for you to say!" The blonde male was now furious, and as out of place as it could be, Yuri couldn't help but find those sapphire eyes sparkling with rage incredibly beautiful. At least it showed that Flynn could actually have outbursts of emotions and wasn't completely uptight. Quickly shaking the thought off his head, he cooled down a bit:

"Just tell them you're already seeing someone else. Even if you say that feelings don't matter, I'm sure that Sodia girl will still take them into consideration. I mean, she looks totally fond of you, so she may reconsider and agree to let you go. No matter how much I dislike her attitude, she still doesn't seem too bad a girl." Yuri added reluctantly.

"Or she could try to find out the identity of her mysterious rival in order to eliminate her." Flynn let out with a sigh.

"You're not being serious there. She wouldn't kill for the sake of getting you, right?" Yuri asked, now slightly doubtful.

"Of course not, but what I mean is that she'd quickly find out that I'm not seeing anyone else and the consequences would be much worse."

"Then get yourself someone for real. Ask any girl here, they'll say 'yes' without any second thought." Yuri suddenly felt his heart clench as he pronounced those words, but he ignored it. Flynn shook his head, completely refusing the idea.

"I can't do that. I refuse to drag anyone else in this mess, and I definitely don't want to deceive a girl for that."

"You don't want to drag anyone else in?" Yuri's tone and stare got more daring. "Fine. Then pick me."

"What?" The blonde male was now displaying a confused expression.

"I'm already in that mess, and that way you can't say you're deceiving me."

"Yuri..." Flynn definitely didn't expect to hear those words from Yuri. The latter was probably not thinking about what he was saying. The idea was plainly... ridiculous? No, just... attractive? Hell, no! Though maybe...

"Flynn, I do whatever I want to do. Call me irresponsible, I don't care. It's a much better way to live than to simply wait for others to decide on your life."

And without giving Flynn any time to reply, he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips against the blonde's, without forcing but for a long enough time to hear his own heart thump against his chest several times. When he finally pulled back, his face was lowered and partly screened by his long hair, but not enough to hide the blush on his cheeks.

Before Flynn could react, he grabbed his bag and quickly left the room without another word.

It was only after a while that Flynn started realizing what Yuri had done, and as he gulped, he also came to realize that his cheeks were on fire and his heart was still racing. His eyes had opened wide when he had felt Yuri's lips on his, and even now he was still staring right in front of him at nothing in particular.

'_Get a grip on yourself! It has to be a joke. It really has to be one. Oh God, tell me it's just a joke.'_ Flynn almost expected to receive a message on his phone from Yuri, telling him it was just all a big – and bad – joke. But his phone remained silent.

"Yuri... What the hell was that for?" he murmured to himself, his fingers unconsciously hovering his lips.

* * *

><p>'<em>You're an idiot, Yuri.'<em> The long-haired male told himself for the hundredth time. He certainly wasn't renowned for his coolness or his aptitude to remain calm when faced with delicate situations, but there was a big difference between that and _kissing_ another guy. Normally, he was supposed to be attracted to the opposite gender; at least that's what he had always believed. Yet, now that he thought about it, he had never showed any interest towards any girl – or boy – whatsoever.

But Flynn's case was special. How special, he couldn't tell, yet what he could tell was that if it had been anyone else but Flynn, Yuri would have probably remained indifferent. If someone had asked him what he felt towards the blonde one, he'd have replied it was curiosity and friendship. Which was true, for he couldn't imagine for a single second actually feeling anything deeper than friendship. It was the same way he felt towards Karol, or Rita, or even Estellise. _'But you never thought of kissing them.'_ He thought darkly.

It was just a sudden and stupid impulse, he told himself. Next time he'd see Flynn, he'd simply apologize and tell him to forget about it. Easy, right?

"Yuri. Yuri!"

"What's up, boss?"

"Don't give me a 'what's up'. You've been cleaning the same glass four times now. Stop spacing out a bit!"

Yuri looked at the glass in his hand, surprised.

"Oh, you're right." He added, laughing. "I was thinking about something else."

"Eeeh? What were you thinking about?" a waitress next to him inquired with obvious curiosity. "It's rare to see you space out."

"Nothing important, Melody." Yuri replied as he put the glass down and picked up another glass.

"Important or not, you should take a break." His boss went on, crossing his arms.

"I'm fine, really." Yuri insisted. As fine as one could be after kissing another guy out of the blue and running away.

"I may have believed you if you hadn't already cleaned that glass five times, the other one three times and those others three to four times." The other man replied, amused.

The few other waiters and waitresses who were around chuckled; fortunately, it was still early and the pub was still quite empty, allowing the staff to create some ruckus.

"I'm just making sure the dishes are properly cleaned, you know. I've noticed that Eddy's been doing quite a poor job at it, so I'm compensating." Yuri replied with his most innocent grin.

"Stop lying!" a voice came out from the kitchen. "I do my job very well, thank you very much!"

New round of laughter.

"No but seriously Yuri, you don't seem very focused today. If you need today's off, you can." The boss resumed the conversation.

"Hey, my bro's in the same university as you, and he told me next week is full with exams." Melody intervened. "He's studying like crazy at home right now, shouldn't you do the same?"

"Nah, don't worry about my exams, I'll pass just fine."

"That won't do. I know you work here because you need the money, but you also need to study. You take today off. And tomorrow as well, and Sunday as well."

"But boss-"

"No buts. As you are right now, you're more of a trouble here than anything else. I don't want you to poison the customers because you're too busy worrying about your exams."

"I'm not worried about my exams!" Yuri protested, but Melody just snatched the tea towel from his hands and patted his shoulder.

"You heard the boss, now go back home, we'll take care of the rest."

Seeing that he had no way out of it, he let out a loud sigh and complied. But really, exams were the last thing on his mind right now.

* * *

><p>Flynn was lying on his bed, eyes closed yet he was not sleeping. His mind was too busy with chaotic thoughts for him to sleep. He kept replaying in his head everything that had happened in the afternoon, from the whole conversation that had made him mad to the conclusion of it that had left him... puzzled. The feeling of Yuri's lips on his was still present, stubbornly present; and Flynn couldn't tell whether he was annoyed or pleased by that fact.<p>

His phone rang, making him jump. The first name that came to him was 'Yuri', but as he read the name on the screen, his face darkened.

"Good evening, Sodia." He greeted as normally as he could.

"_Good evening, Flynn. I'm phoning you to inform you that my parents have a last-minute hitch and they won't be able to meet you tonight. I'm sorry."_

"That's fine." Flynn replied, actually relieved.

"_Flynn... There's still something I'd like to talk to you about. Do you have a moment? It's important."_

"Of course. Is it about the preparations of the ceremony again?"

"_No, it's just... a piece of advice I'd like to give you."_

"About?" Flynn was now frowning. Sodia's tone was abnormally careful.

"_About Yuri Lowell."_ Flynn's heart made a leap at the name and he had to gather a lot of self-control not to let his voice shake when he replied:

"What about him?"

"_I've noticed your hanging out with him quite often and... well, to be honest I think you should stop doing that. He's not someone you should be seen with."_

"What do you mean? We're just working together because of school assignments."

"_Yes, I understand that. But for your reputation, it'd be better if you cut ties with him once your assignments are done. Listen, I made some research about him, and you will not like what I found out about him. He was raised in an orphanage-"_

"I know that." Flynn cut her in, slightly annoyed. "And I don't see how that can harm anyone."

"_Please let me finish, Flynn. As I said, he was raised in an orphanage, and there were actually a lot of problems revolving around him when he was there. Apparently all the children who were involved with him would end up being hurt one way or another. Sometimes badly. He kept dragging them into all sort of troubles."_

"He may have been like that, but now he's not."

"_Don't speak so hastily. I thought so too at first, but I continued the research and I found out that he left the orphanage at 16 and started living on his own. And that's when the very nasty part comes. He started getting involved with unclean people, got caught by the police more than once, and even though he was never charged directly, his name appears on several cases of underground deals and black market. I'm not saying he's a criminal or anything, just that he's definitely not clean and that it'll deal an unwanted blow to your reputation if those facts were to come to light."_

Flynn couldn't believe his ears. Sure, he knew that Yuri's past wasn't the nicest of all, but he hadn't imagined he'd go as far as doing illegal actions. He didn't even look like he had had problems with the law in the past!

"Sodia, even though I'm grateful that you worry about me and you spent time doing those investigations, I still disapprove of it." He finally replied wearily. "No matter what he did before, right now he hasn't done anything that could have justified that background check."

"_But I'm telling you all that for your own good!"_

"I know you only intend well, and I thank you for that, but I'm sure that Yuri have changed. Otherwise he wouldn't go to the university, nor would he bother working part-time, given the schedule overload."

"_So you plan to keep seeing him."_ The tone was reproachful.

"That will be up to me to decide. After the exams, and unless we end up in the same course again, I'll probably see him much less anyway."

"_I see... Well, I'll respect whatever decision you make, but please, think of your future."_

"I'm thinking about it everyday, Sodia."

"_F-Fine... Then I guess I won't bother you any longer, Flynn. I'll contact you soon for another meeting."_

"Certainly. I'll talk to you later, then."

"_Goodbye Flynn."_

The blonde boy put his mobile back on the table and lay back on his bed with a loud sigh. What kind of timing was that? When he thought he was already confused enough about Yuri, Sodia just _had_ to add even more mess to his confusion. If what she had told him was true, then the best solution for him was indeed to avoid Yuri; but all that time he had spent with the other boy had never been unpleasant, on the contrary. And Yuri was working hard to survive, he had nice friends, he cooked incredibly well... Wait, that last point had nothing to do with the rest.

He looked at his watch. Yuri was probably working right now. Sitting up, he made his decision. He needed to see Yuri.

* * *

><p>"Yuri? Oh, I'm sorry, the boss told him to take today's off because he wasn't very focused on his job." Melody told Flynn. "Apparently he has exams coming. He didn't tell you?"<p>

"He told me he didn't need much time to study for his exams. That's why I thought I'd find him here."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy to convince him to leave, but he kept spacing out all the time. Do you want me to give you his phone number? He won't be coming tomorrow or on Sunday either, so you won't be able to see him."

"It's fine, I have it. Thank you for your help and sorry for the bother." Flynn replied politely.

"No problem. Just tell him to take it easy if you see him!"

"I will." Flynn smiled.

As he walked back home, his hand kept playing with the phone in his pocket. To call or not to call?

Flynn suddenly felt like in a very famous Shakespearean play.

* * *

><p>Comfortably settled on his bed, his back against the wall and his earphones on, Yuri was humming while following the rhythm of the music with his head. He was supposed to study, naturally, but Rita was right: he was a procrastinator.<p>

The screen of his mobile lit up, catching his attention in the half-darkness of his room. He held out his hand to grab the phone and read the name displayed on the screen. After a second of hesitation, he put it back and let it ring.

He wasn't in the mood for that.

* * *

><p>On Sunday night, Yuri finally decided to turn his phone on and check for any message. There were four: one from Karol, wishing him good luck for the exams, and three from Flynn, indicating missed calls. One on Friday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. He had left no vocal message though.<p>

Yuri thought of texting him a brief apology, then changed his mind. They'd see each other on the next day for the exam after all.

There was no need to rush things.

**xxxxxx**

**A/N:** And there you go for another chapter! Many thanks to you who read & review this :] I'm glad you appreciate the story, despite its flaws!


	15. October 17th to 21st

**October 17****th - 21st  
><strong>

The project management exam was supposed to last four hours. Yuri left the room after a mere one and a half, walking right past the table where Flynn was sitting. Not a glance was exchanged, but Yuri's heart did hit harder against his chest for a second and as he hurried out of the room, he failed to notice Flynn going tight-lipped, hesitate for a short moment and then putting down his pen before handing back his paper.

Flynn was lucky that the empty corridor was straight and long, for it allowed him to spot Yuri quite easily in front of him. Not wasting another second, he ran after him.

"Yuri! Please wait!"

He saw the long-haired boy freeze, then make another step before stopping and turning back to him. And the last thing he expected to see was that cocky smile being displayed as if nothing had ever happened.

"Hey, Flynn! Already out? I knew you were some sort of genius, but still, this seems quite too much." Yuri joked.

"I-Yuri, I wanted to talk to you." Flynn declared seriously, not letting himself be distracted by the playful tone.

Yuri tensed up and looked slightly away. Of course he had seen that coming, but he could still pretend that what had happened on that fated Friday was a mere joke, couldn't he? He could tell Flynn that he had just been playing a bit and that it was absolutely nothing more but a small whim. Or he could tell him to loosen up a bit and stop taking things so seriously.

But all those excuses died in his throat when another thought surfaced in him: Flynn had actually chosen to quit the exam to see him. He had chosen Yuri at the risk of failing his exam, even if studies and school achievement had always been his priority.

"About... what happened on Friday. Yuri, I just want an explanation." Flynn had taken Yuri's silence as an invitation to go on. His tone was gentle, as if he feared that Yuri would react badly if he was too forceful. "Maybe I'm just over-thinking and maybe you didn't mean anything when you k-kissed me; that's why I just want an explanation from you."

"Flynn..." Yuri finally looked at the other boy, trying not to pay attention to those beautiful lagoon eyes. _'He deserves the truth. Or at least, he deserves that I don't lie.'_ he thought, in spite of himself. "I just acted on an impulse, I didn't really think when I did it and I'm really, really sorry about it."

"Is that all? A mere impulse?" The disappointment in Flynn's voice was barely hidden. What had he expected from Yuri? He himself couldn't tell. Just... not such an easy reply. He refused to believe he had screwed up his exam just to hear such a lame excuse.

"Yeah, well..." Yuri scratched his head and looked through the large windows of the corridor. "Listen, how about we go somewhere else instead of just standing there? I was planning to go back home since my next exam is in four hours but we can find another place to-"

"Here is fine." Flynn cut him in, starting to lose patience. "There's no one and I didn't plan this discussion to be very long anyway. But I can't believe the answer you gave me. I just can't believe that it was just an impulse."

"Gosh, Flynn! What the hell did you expect?" Yuri's tone raised as well, even though he knew his annoyance towards Flynn wasn't really justified. "That's just me, I'm like that and that's all! Not everyone is a rigid machine like you and has their lives regulated by tons of manners, rules and whatnot! I just felt doing it, so I did, end of the story!"

The sudden outburst surprised Flynn, and the latter noticed that Yuri's cheeks had turned a faint pink though he couldn't tell whether it was from anger or embarrassment. Rendered mute for a second, the blonde male quickly pulled himself together and his face hardened.

"A rigid machine, you say."

Next thing Yuri knew, Flynn's lips were on his, repaying him in kind, cleanly and nicely. His first reflex was to step back but Flynn had anticipated the gesture and slipped a hand behind his head, preventing him from breaking the kiss. The latter was gentle, exactly like Yuri had done, and the long-haired boy found his heart racing again, though not for long. Flynn soon pulled back, and with one last gaze, he finally said with a hard yet sad tone:

"Do remember that I'm a human being too, Yuri."

As he walked away without looking back, he wondered about the exactness of his own words.

* * *

><p>Yuri cursed under his breath as he was dragging his feet back home. He had wanted to go after Flynn, he really had! But somehow he had found himself nailed to the ground by some invisible force that had prevented him to even turn round. And by the time he had recovered his ability to move, Flynn had naturally vanished.<p>

Seriously, Flynn? Kissing him? That could only be science-fiction. Even if it was payback, Yuri would never have suspected that the blonde boy could have such guts. What about Sodia? If the latter were to learn about it, no doubt she'd get on a killing spree and eliminate him. No, no, no. There was no way she'd ever know about it; Yuri valued his life and Flynn was a very sane person who'd never risk telling her. Sodia would never know, she and Flynn would get engaged as planned and everyone would be happy. _'Yeah, right. And pigs fly.'_

Yuri's phone rang. It was a message from Karol, telling him that he had seen him leave by looking through the window and that he was done with his exam as well. Did he want to hang out together? Yuri hesitated for a moment before deciding that it wasn't a bad idea to clear his mind a bit. Typing a reply, he made a U-turn and walked back to school.

* * *

><p>It was rare to see Flynn in a state of anguish, simply because he was usually a very calm person and also because he could hide his negative emotions quite well behind his smiles. Therefore it required expert eyes to notice the faint signs betraying Flynn's unrest as he was reading his class notes in the library. It was nothing, really; only a tenser grip than usual on his papers, a light furrow between his frowned eyebrows, and his lips tightening constantly.<p>

Despite his eyes reading the lines of notes, his mind was actually not registering a single piece of data as it was far too preoccupied about another issue. What had gotten into him? Sure, Yuri's words had pissed him off, but really, how could he have lost control so easily and act so foolishly? Even towards Sodia, he had never... Could he call that an impulse too? Probably, but it didn't excuse his behaviour. Or did he actually need to be excused? Yuri had done the same to him, hadn't he? Now they were equal.

No they weren't. Flynn was much different from Yuri. He abode by rules and was leading a straight life. Sodia's words were ringing over and over again in his head, instilling more and more doubt in him about Yuri, about his actions and about how he was feeling about the long-haired boy.

It had started with mere scorn before turning to perplexity then to curiosity, then it became a rather forced yet interesting friendship; and at some point, before Flynn even noticed it, it had slowly shifted to a sort of strange attraction which he couldn't name.

Until a few days ago. Simply because he had made the mistake of introducing Sodia as his future fiancée. That was when all of Flynn's beliefs started to get seriously shaken; until now, he was convinced that he had to do his everything to reach the top, and for that purpose, he had to work hard and accept any necessary sacrifice – even if it meant giving up his personal pleasures. And yet, looking at Yuri whose only goal was to live from day to day, Flynn couldn't help but question his own way of living.

'_Yuri... Just what are you doing to me?'_

"Hey Flynn, it's almost 2! You don't wanna be late for the exam, do you?" A group of boys walking by interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh, already? I didn't see time passing." Flynn replied, truly surprised. As he quickly put his notes in his bag and stood up, another boy from the group addressed him:

"By the way, I saw you leaving this morning's exam after an hour and a half. Did you find it that easy? Because it took me the four full hours to finish it and I'm still not sure I'll pass!"

The other boys whistled. "Wooh! Flynn, were you sick? Or did you cheat?"

"I was... not feeling really well, indeed." The blonde male replied, pretending to look rather tired. "I hope I won't have to take the re-examinations, though."

"If you fail, we all do." The first boy replied very seriously with a nod, making the others laugh. "Anyway, we should hurry before being late."

"I'm coming." Flynn replied, joining them.

* * *

><p>At 5 pm, Yuri was out and done for the day. Or so he thought, until he crossed path with Estelle at the corner of a corridor.<p>

"Good afternoon Yuri." She greeted him with a bright smile.

"Yo, Estelle. No exam for you this afternoon?"

"No, indeed. How about you?"

"Let's say I found it boring and just did half of it. Actually I kind of fell asleep in the middle, otherwise I'd have finished much earlier." Yuri replied with a shrug. "What are you doing here then?"

"Oh, I was taking care of some business for the painting club. Then after that I'll have a rehearsal with the choir. But for now I'm just killing time." Estelle paused for a second before going on, fidgeting with her fingers. "Hm, if-if you don't have any other plans, maybe we could have a snack somewhere. There's a nice tea house just in front of the school, it's very pleasant. I'd be very happy to invite you."

The last thing Yuri wanted to do was to go to a tea house. He imagined those kinds of place to be for refined and delicate people who went there to drink teas which he didn't know the names in porcelain cups with even stranger names. Definitely not his place to be. But well, Estelle was a nice girl and since he was being invited, it meant sparing some money.

"Why not? Sounds fun." He smiled back, to Estelle's utmost joy.

"Let's go then!"

* * *

><p>At 6 pm, Flynn put down his pen and stretched his arms. Glancing outside, he noticed the sky was already dark and sighed; he had never liked either autumn or winter for the days were too short and that always made him feel down somehow.<p>

As he exited the room, someone patted his shoulder.

"How was the exam?" the same boys as earlier inquired.

"Quite good." Flynn replied. He was actually not in a mood to talk, but it would have been unfair to take out his frustration on people who didn't deserve it. "How about you?"

"Man, the second problem was a real pain. I spent at least two hours on it!"

"I know right?" Another boy intervened. "I couldn't do a quarter of it, even though I spent a whole hour on it."

"Same here, I think I totally failed that one, and the fifth problem as well. Did you manage to do them, Flynn?"

"Yes, I did."

"Entirely?"

The blonde boy nodded, making the others shook their heads in resignation.

"Of course. You're Flynn Scifo after all, the highest hope of this poor school of lost causes." A boy said theatrically. Laughter followed. The small group of people walked to the school's gates and was about to split up when one of them pointed in front of him:

"Hey, isn't that the Sidos girl over there? With... who the hell is that guy? Don't tell me she actually has a boyfriend!"

"Estellise Sidos? Where?"

"Over there! In the tearoom! Damn, the lucky bastard."

At first, Flynn didn't pay attention to the discussion, but as he gave a quick glance towards the shop on the other side of the street, his heart failed a beat. Through the lit shop window, he could clearly see among other people Estellise sitting at a table and chatting happily with... Yuri.

"Hey, it's the guy who's with you in the project management course, right?"

But Flynn didn't reply immediately. The sight of those two apparently sharing a good moment made Flynn clench his fists unconsciously. His reaction was absurd, he was aware of it, and yet he could barely dampen the annoyance rising in him.

"Flynn? Are you alright? Gosh, don't tell me he's stealing your woman?"

"You're going out with Estellise?" A second boy asked as well.

"What? No!" Flynn finally protested. "What gave you that idea?"

"Well, you looked kinda... upset?"

"Did I? No, I was still thinking about the exam... I think I made a mistake somewhere." He lied skilfully.

"Oh come on, everyone knows you'll still get an A, no matter what. Anyway guys, it's not that I'm not completely captivated by that girl's love life, but I still need to revise for my next exam on Wednesday."

"Yeah, me too, though mine is tomorrow."

"Same here. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

When the group finally separated and Flynn found himself alone, he glanced one last time to the tea house before walking away, unable to dismiss that uneasy feeling that was gnawing at him.

* * *

><p>The next exam Yuri had was on Thursday, which was giving him plenty of time to slack off. However, as improbably as it could be, Yuri wished he actually had something to busy his mind on, to prevent him from thinking about a certain blonde boy much too often for his own good. Lying on his bed, he kept replaying over and over again that furtive yet intense second when Flynn had pressed his lips against his, and whenever he did so, the same chills would run down his spine.<p>

Even the regular messages he received from Karol couldn't distract him enough, and nor could Estelle's new invitation for lunch on that Wednesday. He had wanted to decline the offer, but the girl had sounded so disappointed on the phone that he had changed his mind. Now he was quite regretting it. Oh, the lunch by itself had been pleasant; it was the conversation that had taken a rather uncomfortable turn.

"_I heard that Flynn has a fiancée."_

"_Future fiancée." Yuri corrected mechanically, wondering if everyone had in mind to remind him of that fact._

"_Do you know her?"_

"_Not really. Why would I?" he asked rather sullenly._

"_W-Well, since you and Flynn look quite close, I thought he may have introduced her to you." Estelle replied, not quite sure about what could have upset Yuri._

"_He did. Quickly. Her name's Sodia and they're getting engaged in November."_

"_Ah, I see... I'm sure she must be a really nice girl for Flynn to get engaged with her."_

"_Hmm..." Yuri nodded vaguely, pretending to be busy eating._

"_Still, it sounds funny to have a fiancée while still in university. I mean, I know a lot of people here have boyfriends or girlfriends, but it's not the same as having an actual fiancé, don't you think so?"_

"_I don't know. I don't really care." Yuri congratulated himself for smiling at her despite the utmost annoyance he was actually feeling._

"_You don't? D-Do you have someone in your life already?" Estelle lowered her head a bit so as to hide the blush on her cheeks._

"_No." Yuri replied instantly. A bit too instantly for it to sound natural, in fact. He felt like hitting himself when Flynn's face popped up in his head at Estelle's question. "No, I don't." he repeated a bit more coolly. Having kissed with someone didn't imply that you were in any kind of relationship with that someone, did it? Seriously, it couldn't even be called a flirt._

"_Oh, is that so..." Estelle took a mouthful from her plate, still not raising her head._

"_Actually yes. Well, sort of." Yuri corrected himself before even realizing it. "Doesn't seem really mutual, though."_

Even now, he still couldn't understand what had prompted him to say it out loud. The face Estelle had pulled was something between surprise and disappointment, but the girl had pulled herself together quite quickly, allowing the lunch to end in a not so awkward atmosphere. She had even wished him to be lucky enough to sort things out with that person; which had made Yuri laugh mentally.

As if.

* * *

><p>"Oh hey Yuri! You're quite early today, your shift starts in an hour only."<p>

"Hey Josh. I know, but I was done with my exam so I figured I'd get here earlier."

"Don't expect to be paid for extra hours though. You know how the boss is stingy." The barman joked.

"Hey, I never said I was going to work extra hours. I'm just gonna sit here and wait till the hands of the clock show the right time." Yuri sneered, suiting the action to the word.

"Figured. How was your exam?"

A shrug. "Not too bad."

On that day, the restaurant was particularly crowded, especially in the evening; the staff was running everywhere and the kitchen was buzzing with restless activity. For once, Yuri managed not to space out and focus exclusively on making food, until Melody called out to him:

"Yuri! A friend of yours is here! He says it's important!"

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Yuri rinsed his hands and dried them on his apron which he removed before exiting the kitchen. Was it Karol? What was so important that he couldn't send him a message instead?

Yuri froze as he saw who had requested to see him. With a new sigh, he walked closer and spoke first:

"Flynn, listen, I'm quite busy right now. There are a lot of people and I can't really be wasting my time chatting here so-"

"I understand, Yuri. I'll be quick. I just wanted you to know that I plan to cancel the engagement. I don't know how yet, but I'll do it. Sorry for the bother." The blonde male merely declared as he prepared to leave; but Yuri was quicker and stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Wait, are you serious?" he asked, barely believing his ears.

"Of course."

Yuri was at a loss for words and could only stare stupidly at the other boy who was obviously waiting for an answer. In the end, he asked an even more stupid question:

"Why didn't you just send me a message to tell me that?"

"Why? Probably because I just wanted to see you." Flynn replied with a faint smile, though a hint of sadness could be heard in his voice. "I'll take my leave now, I don't want to take more of your time." he added, freeing his arm. "See you soon at school."

And once again, Yuri could only find himself nailed to the ground and unable to even call his friend back. He wasn't even sure he could have heard him with all the surrounding noise.

"Yuri, if you're done, don't stand in the passage like that and go back to work!" Melody told him as she walked past him, two trays full of drinks on her hands.

"Yeah..." the long-haired boy finally complied, still trying to figure out the meaning of Flynn's last words.

* * *

><p>When Flynn read Yuri's name on the screen of his mobile, he frowned though he could barely suppress the sudden excitement that had surged in him.<p>

'_I'm starting my shift at 6 pm tomorrow. Meet at S9 at 5?'_

He wanted them to meet? And do what? Have a cup of coffee and chat? Like he had done with Estellise? The blonde boy tried in vain not to remember how cheerful they looked at that moment and wondered for a second if he and Yuri could actually be the same towards each other. And for some reason, the mere thought of it sounded absurd. Well, at least Yuri wasn't avoiding him like he had feared.

He typed a reply and sank into his armchair. Never the wait for the day to be over had been so long.

* * *

><p>At 4.45, Flynn was already by the pub's doors, waiting in the same stance he always was while waiting at the school library. Even if his face didn't display any sign of it, he was inwardly quite nervous by the fact he had no idea what they would be talking about, especially in such a public place. Sure, the pub was quite empty at that time of the day, but still...<p>

Minutes passed, and finally a familiar silhouette wrapped in a long, dark blue coat appeared at the corner of the street. For a second Flynn thought that Yuri had had his hair cut but no, it was simply tied up in Yuri-style, that is to say in a loose way letting thin strands fall over his shoulders. How was it possible to still look that handsome while being that neglected? Flynn wondered. Then again, maybe it was _because_ of that casualness that he looked so handsome.

"It's getting chilly outside. You should've waited inside." Yuri snatched him out of his contemplation.

"It's fine." Flynn merely replied as he followed the other boy inside.

"Hi Yuri! Early again today?"

"Yeah, but for now I'm just a regular customer. Flynn, do you want to order something?" He asked as moved behind the bar.

"Hey, regular customers aren't supposed to make their own drinks." Josh teased him. "I can take care of it if you want. And it'll be on the house."

"No, I don't trust your skills. But OK for the drinks being on the house." Yuri replied before ducking the tea towel that flew to him, laughing. "So, what do you wanna drink?" he asked Flynn again.

"I'll have an espresso then, thank you." The blonde boy replied, but Yuri shook his head.

"No, that's a boring drink. You'll have a beer, like me." He said, picking out two bottles from the fridge.

"No it's f-"

"It's apple beer, it's good. You'll see. Here, take the glasses."

"Yuri, is that how you treat our customers?" Josh asked reproachfully, but the other boy merely shrugged.

"It's on the house." He replied with a grin.

He then motioned Flynn to follow him to a table at a corner of the pub and took a seat there while the blonde boy picked the seat in front of him.

"Have a try." Yuri said as he picked a bottle and filled his glass.

Flynn never had had much affinity with alcohol, but out of politeness, he imitated Yuri and tasted the beverage. It was actually good, he thought. The faint apple touch served to sweeten the somehow bitter cereal taste of the beer.

"So?"

"It's good." Flynn admitted as he put his glass down. "But Yuri, you didn't call me here just to talk about beers, did you?"

"... Right." The dark-haired boy replied after a second of silence. He gazed at the street through the large window, his chin resting on his hand and went on: "So, did you tell Sodia about cancelling the whole thing?"

"Not yet. I can't find a way to tell her properly."

"I gave you a solution." Yuri replied, still gazing outside.

Silence. The delicate part was coming sooner than what Flynn had expected.

"Yuri, what happened on that day... You weren't serious about it, were you?" His eyes were locked on Yuri who was still refusing to look back at him.

"What if I were?"

"Then I... God, Yuri, what could I say?" Flynn's tone reflected some exasperation. "I can't fathom your way of thinking and I find it hard to believe that you can actually be serious about it."

"What about you? You're not totally innocent in this matter either."

"What do you mean?"

Yuri finally turned his eyes to him, showing clear reproach in them.

"Do I need to remind you what you did on Monday, after the exam?" he asked. "Were you serious about it?"

The question took Flynn by surprise. He felt his cheeks warm up a bit but blamed it on the drink.

"You can't expect me to give you a honest answer when you haven't given me yours." He replied coldly.

"Why not? I'm as curious to know as you are."

"I asked you first, I have the right to know the answer first."

"Now this sounds childish. Where did you see such a rule? Because that's not how it works."

"That's mere courteousness, Yuri. Though I don't expect you to have been taught that."

"Oh yeah? Well, sorry for not having been raised and nursed in a dirt rich family with royal manners and whatever crap."

"Gosh, is it even possible to have a decent conversation with you?" Flynn raised his tone before remembering that there were people around them – not many, but still. Cooling down a bit, he took a deep breath in and went on: "I don't want to start any trouble in this place." he said, standing up and grabbing his coat. "I thought we'd somehow manage to sort things out but I guess this is asking for too much. I asked you a question and I only expected a simple 'yes' or 'no', but I suppose I can't even have something as simple, in which case I fear the conversation will stop here. Goodbye, Yuri." he let out as he left the table and went to the bar to drop a note to the barman. "Keep the change."

Two seconds later, the pub's doors closed behind him. At the table, Yuri still hadn't moved an inch. He was gripping at his glass so tightly that it wouldn't have been a surprise if the latter had shattered in his hand. How idiot could he be? He hadn't planned the conversation to turn out like that, for heaven's sake! If he had simply answered Flynn's question without making a fuss, then the blonde one would probably still be here now. If he had answered, they'd have probably been able to keep enjoying their drinks and talking like friends. _'Like hell.'_

"Yuri," a feminine voice next to him brought him back to reality. "You don't plan to let him go like that, do you?"

"Melody, don't tell me you've been spying on us..." Yuri grunted, now quite annoyed.

"I haven't, but I saw the way you two separated and I don't like it."

"Mind your own business. Ouch!" Yuri winced in pain and rubbed his head on the spot where the girl had just hit him with a tray. "What the hell was that for?"

"I don't know what happened between you two and I don't care, but knowing you, you're surely to blame – even partly. So now go and apologize!" The waitress pointed at the door.

"Don't wan-OK, OK, I'll go, no need to hit me." Yuri quickly replied, ducking his head to avoid the tray. "But my shift starts in half an hour."

"I'll cover for you if you're late. You can even skip if you want, I'll just say you fell sick." Melody said with a bright smile. "Now move your lazy ass and hurry up! He shouldn't have gone too far."

Mumbling, Yuri complied anyway. And indeed, Flynn hadn't gone too far. Yuri spotted him easily with his bright blonde hair and his white coat. Not paying attention to the people looking at him strangely, he ran after him.

"Flynn!" he called out as he got closer. The blonde boy turned round and at that moment, Yuri's heart failed a beat. Never had he imagined that someone's face could express such sadness, never had he imagined that pain could be so clearly read in someone's eyes, and never had he imagined that he could feel so guilty just looking at someone.

"Flynn, I'm sorry." he let out, taking his breath back. "I'm sorry for earlier." A pause, then: "The answer's yes. Yes, I was serious." His breathing was still heavy while waiting for Flynn's reaction, which wasn't quite what he had expected. The blonde boy's face lit up and a smile appeared on his lips.

"That's all I wanted to know. Thank you for telling me."

"Hm, well..." Yuri looked slightly away, now embarrassed. "What about you then?"

"I'm surprised you asked. Of course I was serious too."

"I-Is that so..."

Suddenly, Yuri lost all his abilities to give sharp or sarcastic replies. The only thing he could do was to stand there, waiting for something to happen. And apparently, Flynn was in the same case as him. The atmosphere around them felt awkward as none had a single clue of what to do or say next.

It was Yuri who finally took the first step.

"Hm, wanna come to my place? I mean, since I kinda messed up, I can offer you another drink to make up for it. It's fine if I skip work today." He added quickly.

"Sure, it'd be my pleasure." Flynn replied with a smile, though he actually didn't want any drink. "I expect really good coffee from you."

"Hey, don't insult me. Everything I do is good." Yuri said very seriously, earning a laugh from Flynn.

"We shall see." He replied mysteriously.

**xxxxx**

**A/N:** Woot! Another chapter done \o/ And I just noticed I messed up with the dates... oh well.


	16. October 22nd

**October 22nd**

Yuri was quite disappointed. Oh, the whole evening with Flynn had been nice; but that was all it had been. Nice. They talked. They exchanged nice words. They even laughed. They had dinner. And then? Then Flynn left. Yuri was quite sure he would have left with a mere 'good night' if he hadn't pulled the blonde boy back and kissed him, almost as a silent reproach. Flynn's cheeks had turned pink but he hadn't protested, which wasn't that bad a sign.

Of course he knew that Flynn was definitely not the kind to be very open about his feelings, he knew that Flynn couldn't help but always behave himself under any circumstances, he knew that Flynn would rather suffer divine punishment before acting all loving and clingy towards anyone else. Hell, it was those traits of him that had made Yuri attracted by him.

Still, he was disappointed. Exceptionally, he had asked today's off to spend some time with Flynn, but now, both of them were merely sitting on the sofa in Flynn's huge appartment – and talking. Yuri had to admit it was partly his fault for bringing up the topic of fencing. He had figured it'd be a good idea to start knowing a bit more about Flynn, but the last thing he had expected was for the latter to actually start explaining all the rules while giving examples of renowned fencers, their specialties, medal records and so on.

"... failed to win a third gold medal in a row; though. Actually, he-"

"Flynn."

"Yes?"

"I don't care about those guys. I'm only interested in you."

"Wh-I... Don't say stuff so bluntly!" Flynn retorted, looking slightly embarrassed.

"But it's true. I just want you to tell me more about you."

"Why do you want to know so much? I assure you my life is far from being interesting."

"Because we're going out together now. It's only normal to want to know you better." Yuri replied with a shrug.

The blonde boy didn't reply at once; instead, he looked away, trying to search for fitting words, but none came to his mind. The mere notion of going out with someone else was completely foreign to him, and hearing Yuri display that fact so casually made him feel unexplainably uneasy. It was just a matter of getting used to it, he thought.

"What's with that face?" Yuri inquired, frowning.

"I was just thinking..."

"About what?"

"About what you just said... It's still so sudden to me and I'm having some trouble deal-"

"Flynn, look at me."

The latter obeyed and turned his eyes to Yuri who was staring at him intently.

"You told me yesterday you were serious when you kissed me in the corridor, didn't you? Were you lying?"

"No, of course not!" Flynn protested. "I'm just... not sure about the 'going out' stuff."

"Why? How would you call it then? How would you call _us_?"

"... Friends, I guess?" Flynn made an attempt at replying.

With an exasperated noise, Yuri slipped a hand on Flynn's cheek and leant forward to seal their lips together. The feeling of Flynn's soft lips on his was making him melt from inside, a vague sensation of warmth spread through him, telling him to demand more from the other boy – which he did. Shifting on his seat, he moved closer to Flynn and let his free hand seek the blonde's one before lacing their fingers together. He pressed the kiss a bit more while completely wrapping his arm around Flynn's neck and felt inwardly quite pleased when the other boy did the same, but around Yuri's waist.

Soon enough, he found himself being held in a tight embrace as Flynn's other arm also found its way to his waist. Ignoring the growing dizziness as much as he could, he focused all his skills on deepening the kiss, forcing Flynn's lips to part even more, licking and biting them slightly until he heard a small gasp from the other male:

"Yuri..."

Hearing his name pronounced in such a way, Yuri couldn't help but double his efforts just to get to hear his name again, but damn, was Flynn naturally good at everything he did? The way he was returning the kiss, the way his lips were moving exactly where Yuri wanted, the way his tongue was brushing teasingly against his... Flynn was making him losing control.

Not wanting to leave the blonde male such an honour, Yuri finally pulled back and licked his lips with a smirk. Both boys were panting, their hearts pounding and their limbs slightly trembling. Sapphire eyes met onyx ones.

"So, was that to your taste?" Yuri spoked first.

"I... guess it was." Flynn admitted with a faint smile.

"Then in that case I guess that 'friends' isn't exactly what we are, right?." The dark-haired boy asked, still smirking.

Flynn opened his mouth to reply, then closed it and sighed, conceading defeat.

"Very close friends, then?" he corrected, chuckling at the face Yuri pulled. "I'm just teasing you. It's just that... I'll probably need some time before I get used to this."

"Yeah, sure..." Yuri muttered, sinking back at his place and crossing his arms.

"Yuri, you look like a kid when you're sulking like this."

"You know what?" Yuri turned to the blonde male. "You're a serious annoyance."

"It was your choice to stick with me." Flynn replied with a sigh. "I still wonder why, to be honest."

"You're a good kisser. You probably must have had a good experience before." Yuri stated out of the blue, silently enjoying Flynn's shocked face at his words.

"Y-Yuri! I never... I mean, you're the first I... I..."

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as a finger on his lips silenced him.

"I'm flattered. I guess I should enjoy it while I can, then." Yuri was already leaning forward again to close the distance between them, but before their lips could touch, the familiar sound of a phone ringing interrupted them.

"Sorry, Yuri." Flynn apologized as he slipped away from the other boy and grabbed his phone. The sight of his friend biting his lower lip was enough for Yuri to guess who was disturbing them. "Good morning, Sodia... No, not at all... Today? Well, actually I..." Flynn paused for a second before he went on: "Listen, I'm a bit busy this morning, but how about I pay you a visit this afternoon? There's also something important I'd like to discuss with you... No, it's not... No, I'd rather not tell you on the phone..."

Yuri was frowning lightly, quite annoyed by the interruption but kept his irritation to himself until Flynn finally put his phone down with a sigh.

"You haven't told her about us yet." It wasn't a question, but the look Flynn gave him was a clear answer enough.

"I didn't have time yet." The blonde boy finally let out after a few seconds of silence. "It's not something you can tell someone lightly over the phone, and I'm still trying to find a way to tell her. It's not easy, given her position."

"Whatever you say." Yuri mumbled.

"Yuri, please try to understand the situation." Flynn said warily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Upsetting her would mean upsetting her parents, and indirectly, my parents. And I think you already know that we aren't on the best terms. You don't imagine the kind of consequences this could have." He sighed again before turning apologetic eyes to Yuri. "I'll see her this afternoon and tell her to cancel the whole engagement; but I don't think it's a good idea to let her know about us yet. Actually..."

It didn't take many skills to detect the inward struggle which Flynn was facing and which reflected on the dark expression he was pulling.

"... you don't think it's a good idea to let _anyone_ know about us." Yuri finished flatly for him. It hadn't been really hard for him to guess what Flynn had in mind, and if not for the current situation, he'd have laughed at the blonde's surprised face. "Flynn, you're as transparent as can be." He said very seriously. "And though I have to admit I don't get crap about all your situation, I guess I can _try_ to understand. Somehow. Ah well..."

Yuri stood up and stretched his arms before grabbing his coat resting on the sofa's arm.

"I guess I won't bother you any longer today. You probably have a lot of mental preparation to do."

"You can stay a bit longer if you want. It's not even 10." Flynn replied as he hurriedly stood up as well, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Oh? What is this? A sudden sign of attachment to my great self?" Yuri asked with false sarcasm.

"I just don't want you to think you're not welcome or anything like that." Flynn protested. "You even took a day off..."

"It's fine. Besides, I told Karol I'd pay a visit to the orphanage after the exams, so I'll use my day off for a good purpose."

"Is it far?"

"Around an hour by bus, I guess?"

"When will you come back?"

"Dunno. It'll depend on when they let me go. Late, probably."

"Oh. Fine then. Well, I won't keep you any longer here. Say hello to Karol for me." Flynn managed to smile.

"Will do."

* * *

><p>Yuri watched thoughtfully as the landscapes slowly flashed by through the window of the bus. He knew it hadn't been very nice of him to leave Flynn to his problems quite in such an abrupt way, but at that time, an unexplainable annoyance had seized him and the last thing he'd have wanted was to even mention Sodia. There was also the fact that Flynn wanted to keep their relationship secret – for now. Yuri was a novice when it came to relationships, but at least he knew that people normally didn't hide it when they were together. The fact that they were both male was probably an influencing factor, but the long-haired boy doubted it was only all there was to it.<p>

True enough, he had kind of 'forced' their friendship to turn to what it was now without even knowing where all of this was going to lead to. It hadn't been a lie when he had told Flynn he had acted on a whim. It was simply curiosity, a mere 'let's see what happens if I try'; unfortunately Yuri was nowhere near seeing anything but one fact: this was going to be much more complicated than what he had reckoned.

At his stop, he went down the bus and gave a quick glance around him. The landscape hadn't changed much and he easily remembered the way to the orphanage, which he soon reached. The white and blue building was in the middle of a quite animated neighbourhood, surrounded by a little greenery, and with a large iron gate painted in brown ornated with colourful flowers. The latter hadn't been there when Yuri had left; and truth be told, the orphanage looked globally much more appealing than when he was still living there.

As he approached the gates, he could spot some kids playing in the small court a bit farther away under the close watch of a woman in her fifties with chestnut, long and curly hair, and it reminded him of the time when he was at their place, with Karol, Rita and a few others. A bark drew his attention when he pushed the gate open, and his face lit up when he saw a dog running to him, wagging its tail happily.

"Repede! You recognize me? Still there as I can see! But damn, you seriously grew big you know?" Yuri exclaimed, laughing and kneeling down so the dog could jump into his lap, barking as a reply.

"Yuri?" a female voice called him. "Yuri, is it you? Is it really you?"

"Oh, hey Pia! Long time no see!" the boy greeted the middle-aged woman who had come running to him, followed by a few curious kids. The next second, his cheek was pinched quite painfully, making him wince.

"Don't give me that 'long time no see' crap! When Karol told me you were studying at the same university as him, I really thought of coming there myself to kick you! Honestly! All that time and you never even sent a letter!" The woman scolded him, both fists on her waist. Then, looking at the kids behind her and pointing at Yuri, she added: "You see this young man, my dears? Well, he has been a very bad boy when he was your age, and even more when he grew up, so you'd better not end up like him, hear me?"

A few "Yes, Pia" and shy nods made her smile and pat some children on the head.

"I appreciate the warm welcome." Yuri grunted as he stood up, letting go of Repede.

"Go tell Karol and Rita that their friend is here." Pia addressed one of the kids. She then turned to Yuri. "You idiot." she sighed before hugging Yuri tight against her. "Really, why have you kept silent all this time?" she asked softly.

A bit taken by surprise by the gesture, Yuri nevertheless couldn't help but feel a sudden comfort in it, and he hugged her back, inwardly happy to come back to his very first home.

"Sorry." he let out awkwardly.

"Come inside, it's not very warm a place here. It's almost lunch time anyway. You'll join us?" Pia asked as she released him. "Though it may not taste really good to you compared with what you cook, from what I heard from Karol."

"I sure will! And I don't know what Karol told you, but that's just crap."

"You liar." Pia laughed. "But I'll ask you to mind your language when with the kids, I don't want them to start talking like you at such a young age."

"Yeah, yeah..."

As both of them got inside the building, Yuri spotted Karol and Rita running down the stairs to him.

"Yuri! You came!" the younger boy exclaimed, excited. "But you could have told us before!"

"I did say I'd come after the exams."

"Yeah but you didn't say when exactly! Anyway, it's good to see you here! You saw how the place looks damn cool now?"

"Yeah, I saw a bit but you'll have to show me around later."

"Younglings! Enough talking and go set the tables! Judith, can you help me gather the kids and have them wash their hands?"

"Right away, Madam." Another person whom Yuri hadn't noticed till now replied before clapping her hands and calling the children. Her voice was soft and kind, Yuri noticed, and honestly, she looked quite good. More than good, actually. Her long, dark blue hair, tied into two ponytails seemed to float behind her as she walked elegantly away, leading some children by the hand, and her rather opened outfit allowed Yuri to get a decent view of her curves – which was definitely not a bad sight.

An elbow poking him rather hardly brought him back to reality.

"Yuri, whatever you're thinking, stop now." Rita ordered with clear warning in her tone.

"I wasn't thinking anything in particular." Yuri defended himself, looking very offended.

"Yeah right. You guys are all the same, hitting on a girl whenever you see one just because she looks nice."

"Rita, as I said, I wasn't-"

"Did you know she also works at the uni?" Karol interrupted them. "She's the appointed nurse there, but she also does some extra work here on weekends. She told me it's because she likes kids. Well, I won't complain, at least it gives me a good reason to stay her-Ouch!" The boy exclaimed in pain, rubbing his head. "Why the hell did you hit me this time?" he asked Rita.

"Because you're stupid. Both of you are. Well, Yuri's older than you so I can understand more or less that his hormones are in full activities, but-"

"Rita, once again you got it all wrong." Yuri sighed. Sure, he couldn't deny that Judith wasn't attractive, but it didn't go further than that for him. Flynn was much, much more to his taste.

The last thought made him cough lightly. "So, how about we set the tables? Pia's gonna me mad if we slack here."

"You're a guest here today, you shouldn't do anything!" Karol replied.

"Don't encourage him to be even lazier than what he already is!" Rita retorted. "Come on, let's go." she motioned the two boys to follow her.

Lunch was served at noon sharp. There were two long tables: one for the younger children, and one for the older ones and the staff – which consisted in Pia, Judith and two other assistants, though the latter were usually busier helping the kids to eat. Yuri was seated between Rita and Judith, and in front of Karol. The latter was an endless stream of words and Yuri wondered if he happened to breathe sometimes. At the same table were also a few familiar faces from children that had been brought up along with Yuri, but he didn't remember the names that much. They did seem to remember him, though. Which was not surprising.

The atmosphere hadn't changed, Yuri thought. Or maybe it had; maybe it was happier and more cheerful. There were naturally some cries and arguments, but they were quickly forgotten and everyone seemed to get along quite well. There was no Zagi to pick on all those who were supposedly supporting Yuri, to play dirty tricks on them and to send them to the hospital; and there was no Yuri to wreak havoc and break some of Zagi's bones, fueling the latter's hatred even more.

"Something's bothering you?" Judith asked him with a smile. "You look quite deep in thought."

"Do I? Nah, let's say I was just reminiscing. By the way, Karol told me you also work at the university?" Yuri quickly changed the topic.

"Indeed, I do. I'm one of the nurses. You're a student there?"

"Yeah."

"What do you study?"

"I'm not quite sure myself." Yuri replied nonchalantly. "Well, I had a Project management course and right now I'm having a Sciences and civilizations one. I haven't chosen my next courses yet."

"So you have Mr Schwann as a lecturer?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"Quite a bit." Judith replied mysteriously with a chuckle. "Let's say he happens to have headaches quite often and always comes to my office for medicine."

"That old pervert..." Yuri muttered.

"As if you're one to talk, Yuri." Rita intervened, earning an exasperated sigh from the long-haired male.

"For the third time, Rita, I wasn't thinking anything bad earlier."

"Yeah, right. All guys are the same. Though I'm actually quite surprised that you still haven't introduced us any girlfriend yet."

"Because I'm not the least interested in having a girlfriend." Yuri replied, now quite annoyed.

"What about a boyfriend then?" Judith asked innocently with her ever-charming smile.

Both Rita and Yuri jumped and choked at the question, the former looking quite shocked by the insinuation while the latter was opening and closing his mouth without any sound coming out.

"N-No, not a boyfriend either!" he finally managed to stutter. "I mean, come on, you're asking rather strange questions here." he forced a laugh.

"Am I?" Judith asked, an amused expression on her face. "My apologies then."

Yuri pretended to find a renewed interest in his plate and took a mouthful of its content, but now his mind was filled with one name: Flynn. They were together now, weren't they? So it was only legitimate to consider Flynn his boyfriend, right? But the blonde boy didn't want anyone to know about their relationship, for some fucked up reasons which Yuri still couldn't grasp, and it annoyed him.

What was Flynn doing right now? Having lunch with Sodia? Trying to come up with a nice speech to tell her he was cancelling the engagement? What if he changed his mind at the last minute? What if he decided to tell Yuri that what they had been doing was actually a big mistake? That they'd better go their own separate ways?

Yuri's grip around his fork tightened unconsciously at the thought. No, no way. It couldn't stop that early, could it? And Flynn wasn't the type to joke around and play with people's feelings. He had told Yuri he was serious about him, and Yuri wanted to believe him. Yeah, he had to believe him somehow. It was Flynn, after all.

"Yuri? You're spacing out again. You're sure everything's fine?" Judith asked.

"Hm? Oh yeah, don't worry. As I said, I'm reminiscing. It's been quite some time since I last came to this place you know, so I'm trying to remember." Yuri lied with a broad smile.

But no matter how much he pretended, he simply couldn't dismiss the feeling gnawing him inwardly. The feeling that told him that he really needed to see Flynn.

* * *

><p>Flynn wasn't quite sure about how he was feeling towards Yuri at the moment, though it certainly leant more towards vexation than anything else. While the latter was probably having a lot of fun with his friends, Flynn was busy thinking of a decent and diplomatic speech for Sodia as well as preparing himself mentally for the inevitable aftereffects that the said speech would bring about.<p>

How nice of Yuri. Maybe he was just playing around, after all. Maybe he found it funny to see Flynn struggle in that mess which would have never existed if Yuri hadn't put his nose in. If Yuri hadn't freaking _kissed_ him and told him he was serious about him.

Maybe he could just stop this whole farce here and now. He could call Sodia and tell her that everything was actually fine, then call Yuri and apologize to him. He could just pretend he hadn't put much thought into it and had made a mistake. It would be fine, wouldn't it? It wasn't as if they had been into a long relationship or anything. Mistakes happened, they were a part of human nature.

"But I can't do that..." Flynn murmured to himself as he rested his head on the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. Slowly, very slowly, realization came to him and forced him to face a fact that was still quite alien to him: he was getting attached to Yuri.

More than attached, actually. However, the blonde boy still had to find out how far this attachment was going to lead him.

_'Gosh, Yuri...'_

* * *

><p>Yuri's watch showed 6 pm. Was Flynn done sorting things out with that girl? Probably. Yuri's fingers were itching to send the other boy a message to inquire about the outcome of the meeting, but at the same time, an unexplainable feeling was preventing him from acting.<p>

"I guess I should be going." he finally let out as he sat up from Karol's bed where he had been lying silently while the other boy was doing some homework. The latter raised his head from his notes, surprised:

"You're not staying for dinner?"

"Nah, I wanna go back early to rest. I'm working tomorrow, you know?"

"That sucks. Maybe I can convince Rita to come along and pay you a visit tomorrow, what do you think?"

"Heh, that's up to you. Anyway, I'm gonna say goodbye to Pia for now." Yuri declared, hopping down the bed.

"I'm coming with you. I'll accompany you to the bus station too." Karol offered. "I need a break from those damn assignments!"

About a quarter an hour later, Yuri was leaning against the bus window, wondering if it'd be a good idea to make a little detour by Flynn's place. Well, he wanted to see him, didn't he? Then that settled everything. No need for complicated and fruitless reflexions.

_'I'll be at your place in around an hour.'_ he typed on his phone.

* * *

><p>Flynn let the warm water flow over him, sighing in delight. The afternoon had been as tough as what he had feared, and a shower was the only thing that could help him relax a bit. The worst part had been to see Sodia's cheerful face turn successively to puzzlement, anger and dejection. At the fated question 'Why?', the only answer he had been able to give her was a mere shake of the head followed with an apology and the assurance that he still wanted them to remain in touch.<p>

Was it time he needed? she had asked him. If it was, then she was willing to wait a bit longer, she would explain to her parents that she also didn't feel ready and no one would be upset in the matter. At that moment, Flynn had felt very tempted to answer positively; however, his resolve was stronger than that.

Flynn let out a small sigh, turning off the tap and grabbing a towel. Naturally, someone rang at his door right at that precise second. Swearing mentally, Flynn put on a bathrobe, his towel around the neck and hair still dripping, and hurried to the door. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw who was there.

"Yuri? What are you doing here?" he asked the long-haired boy.

"The door downstairs was open, so I just climbed here." Yuri replied with a shrug.

"No, I mean... Why did you come here?"

"You didn't receive my message?"

"Your... No, I switched off my phone."

"Convenient." Yuri grumbled. "Anyway, can I come in?"

"S-Sure." Flynn replied as he stepped aside. "Wait for me in the living, I need to get dressed."

"I don't mind if stay like this." Yuri smirked, walking in. "Actually, you look quite good that way." he added.

The next second, his lips were on Flynn's and his fingers slipped on their own in the blonde's wet hair. If Flynn emitted a sound of protest, it was quickly muffled. It was a short kiss, but nevertheless quite enjoyable in his opinion. How could he even have thought of giving up on Yuri? It only required a mere touch – a brush on the cheek, a kiss or whatever – for his hesitations to dissipate.

However, as Yuri pulled back, Flynn noticed the former looking away, slightly embarrassed.

"What is it?" he asked, suddenly concerned.

"... I'm sorry for leaving like that this morning." Yuri spoke out after a second of hesitation. It took Flynn about the same amount of time to understand what Yuri was talking about, before he remembered.

"It's fine, Yuri. Don't worry about that. You don't have to be involved in my personal problems, so it's only normal." Flynn replied with a smile.

"How did it go?" Yuri asked, still not crossing the other boy's gaze.

This time, the silence lasted several seconds before Flynn spoke again.

"Yuri, how about we go out and have dinner somewhere? Don't pull such a face, you silly. I just want to have a change of air. It wasn't easy, so for now let's just go out and I'll tell you later."

"Fine, fine. Then I guess I'll have to let you go and get dressed. What a pity." Yuri sighed dramatically, which actually made Flynn laugh.

The evening was going to be much better than the afternoon.

* * *

><p>Sodia bit her thumb, pacing back and forth with a deep frown. How could Flynn do such a thing to her? Did the future of his parents' company matter not to him? She only needed to call his parents and it'd be the death of him.<p>

But she couldn't. She couldn't do that to Flynn. Still, why the sudden change? Everything had been going on smoothly, perfectly and flawlessly, so why? Why? Flynn was hiding something, she was certain of it.

Her face darkened. She'd find out the reason, and eliminate it.

**xxxxx**

**A/N:** Sorry for the late chapter -_- But thanks to you peeps who're still reading this :D And yeah, evil Sodia's gonna put some mess in the still fragile relationship between the two boys D


	17. October 23rd to 30th

**October 23****rd**** – 30****th**

"Yuri, you look like in a good mood today." Josh commented.

"Do I? Well, let's say some nice stuff happened recently." Yuri replied as he put the glass he was just done cleaning on a shelf.

"Oh? What kind of stuff?" Melody sneaked in, curiosity all painted on her face. "A girlfriend?"

Yuri felt very tempted to reply 'Yeah, something like that' but his brain was quicker and reminded him that he wasn't supposed to speak out loud about Flynn and him.

"Nah, nothing like that. I just visited some old friends yesterday; haven't seen them for ages and we spent a good time together." It wasn't a lie. He had truly enjoyed his small trip at the orphanage, being able to see Pia and Repede again... _'Oh crap! I totally forgot to say goodbye to Repede!'_ Yuri smacked himself mentally. He really liked the dog and considered him as much as a friend than Karol or Rita; however, his concerns on the previous day about Flynn had made him forget about Repede. Yuri sighed silently.

"Damn, I wish I had a day off to have fun with my friends too." Melody mumbled. "If I had enough savings I wouldn't work on weekends."

"It's the same for us all." Josh nodded.

"Yuri! It's almost 11.30! Get ready before the customers arrive!" a voice shouted from the kitchen.

"Right away, boss!" Yuri shouted back before asking the two waiters in a low voice: "What's today's dish again?"

"Salmon lasagnes. Geez Yuri, you aren't being serious there."

The long-haired boy dismissed the remark with a wave of his hand before disappearing in the kitchen. However, an hour later, Melody informed him that some of his friends had arrived. Yuri managed to guess with no trouble who the friends were, yet as he left the kitchen and spotted the table where Karol and Rita were seated, an unexpected guest showed up as well.

"Pia!" Yuri exclaimed as he walked to the table, pleasantly surprised at the sight. "You abandoned the kids at home?"

"Silly, the assistants can very well take care of them for a few hours, and there's Judith too." the woman poked Yuri on the forehead before standing up and hugging him as she had done on the previous day. "So, today I expect you not to make me regret coming all the way here!" she added.

"Don't worry, Yuri's an excellent cook!" Karol intervened. "Hey, what's on today's menu?" he asked Yuri.

"Smashed carrots." The latter replied, refraining from laughing at Karol's sudden bleached face. His aversion for that particular dish was well-known and never once had Pia managed to make him eat even half a teaspoon of it. Rita sneered.

"Hah! Serves you right." she said.

"... and grilled mushrooms." Yuri added innocently. This time, it was Rita's turn to pull a disgusted face.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Well, if 'Salmon lasagnes' is read as 'smashed carrots and grilled mushrooms', then no, I'm not." Yuri shrugged as he pointed to the blackboard behind his back with today's menu written in big, white letters. Karol let out a sigh of relief.

"Lasagnes sound good but I don't really like fish." the younger boy pouted. "I want meat. Do you have be- Hey! Isn't that Flynn over there?" he asked, pointing out to the window.

Yuri's eyes turned immediately to the direction Karol was pointing and saw a blonde figure cloaked in white, crossing the road and walking to the pub. It was definitely Flynn. As the door was pushed open, Karol waved his hand frantically to the newcomer who noticed it at once and smiled.

"Good afternoon, Karol, Rita, Madam." Flynn greeted as he walked near the table. "Yuri." he added with a short nod.

Yuri fought the urge to kiss him on the spot to make up for the rather formal greeting he had just received and instead merely patted the blonde boy on the shoulder.

"What's up? What brings you here?" he asked with a neutral tone.

"It's been quite a long time since I last came here. I was starting to miss the place." Flynn replied with a smile.

"Come and sit with us, Flynn!" Karol invited him. "It's cool to see you here too! Pia, he can come, right?'

"Of course!" The woman replied, chuckling. "Any friends of yours are most welcome."

"Great! Come on, Flynn!"

The latter thanked Pia and took the seat next to Karol.

"Anyway, maybe you haven't noticed but I'm quite busy and my boss is gonna kill me if I don't go back to work soon, so just tell me your orders so I can resume earning my life."

"Wait, you didn't tell me if you have-"

"Four salmon lasagnes, Yuri." Rita cut him in, ignoring Karol's protests.

"Right away!"

As soon as Yuri left, Pia turned to Flynn who was sitting in front of her:

"I'm Pia, I'm the one in charge of the orphanage where those kids are living." she said, ruffling Rita's hair, to the latter's utmost irritation. "Or I should say, 'used to live' in Yuri's case."

"I'm Flynn; I'm in the same year as Yuri at the university."

"Oh, so both of you are friends?"

Flynn nodded. "Yes, something like that. We just happened to attend the same course."

"I'm quite surprised but truly relieved to hear that he has made a friend here." Pia replied with a nod. "At the orphanage, he was always so much in trouble that there were only these two here to bear with him. And yesterday, from what I heard from him, he never really made any friends after leaving the orphanage." she added with a small sigh.

"Don't make Yuri sound like he's an anti-social guy!" Karol interrupted her, making her laugh.

"Oh no, I'm not saying that. But he clearly has some problems dealing with most people, which is quite understandable given what used to happen back then... But this belongs to the past. So please, take care of him and bear with him, even if it's probably not easy sometimes." Pia requested with the same tone as someone who was asking a huge favour.

"I... will do my best." Flynn replied for lack of anything else to say. He had had a hunch for quite some time that Yuri's childhood hadn't been as smooth as one could have wished but had decided to respect Yuri's will not to mention it; yet, Pia's words now aroused his curiosity.

"To be honest I don't really know him that well, because he barely says anything about himself." he added with an apologetic tone.

"No kidding..." Rita muttered as she looked away through the window. As an answer to Flynn's questioning look, Karol scratched his head with an embarrassed chuckle:

"Well, let's say it's kinda normal for him to keep quiet about some stuff... I mean, he's never done illegal stuff or anything, but yeah, I still remember it wasn't always fun at the orphanage at that time." Karol finished with a sigh.

Karol's last words triggered Flynn's memory. Sodia had mentioned that after leaving the orphanage, Yuri had involved himself in some rather suspicious business, even if he had never been charged for anything. Of course his friend probably didn't know about that, and Flynn wasn't going to be the one to tell them.

Doubts still remained in his head about Yuri, but somehow he didn't want to let them take over him; now that they were going out together, he'd have to learn to trust Yuri a bit, no matter the uncertainties surrounding him. Because he simply felt that Yuri was the one person he just couldn't let go; and that mere thought left him with a warm feeling inside.

* * *

><p>The week that came was probably the one when Flynn felt the happiest and the most anxious at the same time. Anxious for he expected to receive a phone call from his parents at any time about Sodia, and happy for even if they didn't spend much time together, whenever he and Yuri met, the latter would always find a way to make him forget his anxiousness – even if just for a while.<p>

And really, it wasn't necessarily anything extravagant. A mere message on his phone, a cupcake slipped in his bag without his noticing, a stroke in his hair (_'There was something in your hair'_), a few words to tease him or a quick peck on the lips at the corner of a corridor when no one was looking (despite Flynn's protests); it was all it took to make Flynn's day.

Monday, then Tuesday passed with a routine that was almost boring. Half the girls were still chasing after Flynn to know which courses he had taken for this period, which never failed to make Yuri laugh silently whenever the blonde boy would tell him. A new phenomenon appeared though, and it was much less to Yuri's liking: girls had started paying a lot more attention to him, especially since the rumour had spread that he and Flynn were now best friends.

"I can understand why Flynn is popular, but what the hell do they see in _you_?" Rita sneered on that Wednesday, as they were having lunch together.

"Beats me. You go ask them and tell me so I can fix it." Yuri shrugged.

"I mean, come on, you're a slacker, your grades are just enough to pass, you're not even rich..." Rita started enumerating on her fingers while Karol, Flynn and Estelle were stifling chuckles.

"But he cooks well!" the younger boy tried taking Yuri's defence.

"They aren't supposed to know that, twat."

"But Yuri is good-looking." Estelle said unexpectedly before turning deep red. "I-I mean, that's what I heard from the girls around me. Th-They say both of you are, actually, so p-perhaps that could be the reason." she added hurriedly, barely able to hide her embarrassment.

Flynn almost choked on his food but managed to conceal it under small coughs while Yuri was patting his back.

"Now now, Flynn. Don't tell me you've never noticed how handsome you are?" he asked the blonde boy with a smirk. "How clueless."

"Yuri, please, that's not funny." Flynn replied with a sigh after cooling down.

"Estelle, try not to flatter that idiot too much." Rita went on. "He'd take you seriously, you know?"

"I-I'm sorry about that." the pink-haired girl apologized, avoiding the others' gazes.

"Rita was just joking." Karol reassured her, earning a shrug from the brunette. "Don't take her too seriously."

The five of them finished lunch on completely different topics, much to Flynn's relief who simply couldn't get used to those kinds of discussions. However, there was something that he hadn't failed to notice and which was still bothering him a bit, though he tried convincing himself that it was only his imagination. No matter how one looked at it, it seemed obvious that Estellise was showing some interest towards Yuri. She used to hang out with her friends but now was found very often with Yuri, and there was also that day when Flynn had seen them having tea together... Did they do it on a regular basis or was it just a mere coincidence? Was Yuri even aware of it? Was it wise to talk to him about it?

Probably not. The last thing he wanted was to sound jealous, especially to Yuri. The latter would probably tease him about it. Flynn ended up dismissing the uneasy feeling he had.

* * *

><p>On Friday afternoon, a mass of students flowed out through the school's gates in the usual hubbub of 'Finally weekend!' and 'What are your plans for tomorrow?' and whatnot. Naturally, among that mass was Flynn and Yuri, the latter complaining about how he already had several assignments despite having barely started the new period.<p>

"You don't wanna do them for me, do you?"

"I'm afraid I won't be of much help to you, Yuri." Flynn replied with a sympathetic smile.

"You're not being nice here." Yuri pouted. "Damn, I wish I could skip work again."

"It's true you would have more time to study, especially on weekends."

"Or more time to see you." Yuri let out flatly. "You know, we can barely spend time together, and I can't even spare weekends to see you." he sighed.

"It's fine, I can understand." Flynn replied, slightly blushing. He wondered for a moment what it could be like to spend a day with Yuri. What would they do? What would they talk about? Flynn had never been good at keeping company to people, even though Yuri made up for that flaw.

"Anyway, I guess we're parting ways here. Don't forget to drop by Square 9 whenever you have time." Yuri went on.

"What time do you work tonight?"

"My shift starts at 6.30, until 11.30 or so. Depends on whether the customers stay late or not."

"In two hours then." Flynn said as he checked his watch. "Do you want to come to my place?"

A malicious smirk appeared on Yuri's lips, though the invitation made him feel inwardly happy.

"Oh? And what would we do at your place?" he asked slyly. "Have some tea and talk like gentlemen or..." he let his sentence unfinished, but the suggestive tone was unmistakable. As expected, Flynn reacted quite vehemently, much to Yuri's amusement:

"Yuri! Be serious for once! Since you said you wanted more time together, I just thought..."

"I know, I know." Yuri interrupted him with a sigh as he patted the blonde boy's shoulder. "Man, you need to learn how to recognize a joke when you hear one. Anyway, I have another offer: let's go to my place instead. It's closer to the Square 9 and I made some cake yesterday. You'll tell me what you think."

"If you insist." Flynn replied, smiling.

Truth be told, he had been secretly hoping that Yuri would invite him over. Even if the studio was much smaller than his flat, he still preferred it somehow; it felt warmer than his place. And unknown to him, it was for the very same reason that Yuri had offered to go to his place. He didn't really dislike Flynn's apartment, yet all that empty space, cleanliness and bare walls just didn't give out a welcoming atmosphere.

As they headed for Yuri's place, they failed to notice a man in suit standing against a tree not far away, talking on his phone. Actually, they had failed to notice his presence since the beginning of the week.

* * *

><p>As soon as he stepped into the studio and dropped his bag against the wall, Flynn felt a pair of arms slipping around his waist and a hot breath near his ear. Naturally, his body stiffened slightly as he had yet to get used to the touch, but he soon relaxed when Yuri nuzzled his neck, whispering a mere 'Flynn...'<p>

Putting his hands over Yuri's, he turned his head slightly on the side; his lips were immediately caught in a kiss that had nothing to do with the furtive pecks Yuri gave him at school. This one was much more intense and elicited a much more satisfying reaction – according to Yuri – from Flynn. The latter felt goose bumps rise on his skin despite the room being at a warm temperature and unconsciously pressed his back a bit more against Yuri's chest. The long-haired boy tightened his embrace and became more offensive, devouring Flynn hungrily and realizing with satisfaction that the latter was responding in the same way. Who could have believed that the ever stoic Flynn Scifo could start losing his coolness as soon as he was alone with Yuri?

The dark-haired male soon broke the kiss, but only to drag the two of them to his bed where he gently prompted Flynn to sit before straddling the latter and leaning down again to seal their lips together, his arms now wrapped around Flynn's neck. Flynn instinctively slipped his around Yuri's waist and pulled the other boy as close to him as he could. Both of them were starting to have trouble breathing, but it didn't matter. Yuri soon moved his mouth down to Flynn's neck, loosening the blonde's tie and opening his collar to get a better access to that soft and warm skin. Flynn gasped silently between two pants, feeling his desire building up at a dangerously quick pace. He was discovering his own sensitive spots thanks to Yuri, and it seemed that his neck, right above the junction with his shoulder, was a particularly sensitive one.

"Yuri... wait... ahh..."

But Yuri pretended he didn't hear him. His mouth now moved up along the neck, to the jaw and up a bit more to bite on Flynn's earlobe. He felt delighted to hear the blonde boy hiss and see him tilt his head unconsciously on the side, as if to invite him to continue. But as Yuri moved back to his neck, Flynn spoke again:

"Wait... Yuri..."

Yuri raised his eyes to him before sitting up reluctantly, still on Flynn's lap. The two of them were panting and now avoiding each other's gaze.

"Ah... sorry, I guess I pushed it a bit too much." Yuri finally spoke after a few seconds of silence. His cheeks had a clear tint of red on them. He himself had no idea where such desire could come from; he had never experienced attraction towards anyone and the way he was feeling whenever Flynn was around was still new to him, therefore he did the only thing he could do: acting on instinct.

It was probably clumsy, but since he was completely clueless about how to act towards the person you call a lover, he figured that it was best to leave it to instinct. Apparently, Flynn still had some self-restraint left, which wasn't that bad actually.

"It's fine, Yuri." the blonde boy replied with a reassuring smile. "It's just that... I'm not quite used to this..."

"I'm not either, but you just have to learn, right? And besides, I'm the impatient type of guy, so you'll have to deal with it somehow." Yuri joked.

"I don't have much choice now, do I?" _'Take care of him and bear with him, even if it's probably not easy sometimes.'_ Flynn was reminded of Pia's words and sighed, though the smile of his lips still hadn't vanished. Bear with Yuri? Yeah, he'd probably learn how to do that with time, even though he still had no clear idea what exactly in Yuri was drawing him in so much. Especially when considering the fact that they were both _males_. He felt almost forced to agree with Rita and the others; aside from being an excellent cook and being particularly handsome, one couldn't say Yuri was the incarnation of perfection.

"What was that sigh for?" Yuri interrupted his thoughts, frowning.

"I was just pondering on how much of a pain you were going to be." Flynn replied, half-serious, half-joking.

"A pain? Man, now this is offending. But you didn't really look much in pain a few minutes ago." Yuri smirked before suddenly turning serious. "Any news from your family?"

Flynn's smile fell as he shook his head. "Nothing yet."

"Good, then let's not think about it for now." Yuri replied, closing the distance between them again.

* * *

><p>"So? Your report?"<p>

"Everything looks normal; he's often seen with the four same students though it seems he has a stronger relationship with this one." the man in a suit dropped a picture on the desk. "Yuri Lowell."

"Tch, even after what I told him about this guy, he still keeps seeing him? He prefers to spend his time with that scum instead of me? Flynn, what nonsense is this?"

The dark-haired girl curled the tip of her braid around her finger, biting her lower lip in anger.

"Yuri Lowell." she pronounced the name as if it was poison. "You are a hindrance to Flynn and I won't allow this. Flynn doesn't have time to waste with the likes of you."

She opened a drawer under her desk, produced a folder and skimmed through the pages. Then her finger stopped on a name that had drawn her attention. It seemed like that person had been Yuri's nemesis during all his years spent at the orphanage. Well, it was time to remind him which class he belonged to.

"I want information on where this Zagi is being imprisoned, what his sentence is and the bail to let him out." she ordered the man. It wasn't his job to discuss his employer's orders, therefore he merely nodded.

As soon as the man left her office, Sodia started pacing back and forth while biting her thumb. She knew that what she was going to do wasn't totally clean, but that was how business worked. And if it could separate her beloved Flynn from that worthless thug, then she was ready to accept staining her hands a bit.

It was all for Flynn's sake; and he would soon come to realize it and thank her for it. She had skilfully managed to convince her parents that she was the one who wanted to cancel the engagement, avoiding some trouble for Flynn. Wasn't it already a proof that she cared for him? She certainly cared much more than Yuri Lowell, who probably pretended to be his friend just to get some nice cash out of him.

"I'll make you see the truth, Flynn. And you'll come back to me." she whispered.

**xxxx**

**A/N:** Victory for another chapter done \o/ And troubles are only starting


	18. October 31st to November 5th

**October 31st – November 5th**

The week started with a class with Raven Schwann, which wasn't too bad. The first period was over, and the second had started with new courses, including _Science and civilizations, advanced course_. Yuri had decided that the man's lectures weren't so bad after all, and that taking an 'advanced course' always sounded classy. Not that he actually cared about being classy, but Raven Schwann was definitely a cool lecturer to have, despite his somehow flirty ways with the ladies.

The short hand pointed twelve on Yuri's watch, and the rustles of papers being shoved in bags were enough to guess that the class was coming to an end. The long-haired male was waiting impatiently for Schwann to give the official signal that the students could leave, which he soon did, much to Yuri's pleasure. He quickly grabbed his stuff, put on his coat and got ready to head for the cafeteria where he was supposed to meet with Flynn – alone, without the usual trio of friends who were normally keeping them company as well. Yuri didn't mind their presences most of the time, but sometimes he also wanted just to be with Flynn and no one else, even if they didn't have much to tell each other.

"Mr Lowell, a word with you before you run off, please." Schwann's voice interrupted Yuri's thoughts. Bravely holding back a sigh, the boy turned his back to the exit and walked to the desk where his lecturer was putting some papers into order. "And no need to pull such a face, I'm not going to keep you long." the man added with a chuckle.

"What is it about, this time?" Yuri asked, slightly annoyed.

"Actually, I'd like you to confirm a hypothesis I've been formulating for quite some time and which I already shared with you a few weeks ago." Schwann scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I've graded your exam yesterday, and I have to say there's something that impresses me in the way you filled your paper."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I won't hide you the fact that you got exactly the required number of points to pass, no more no less. And that's actually what impresses me."

"How so? Normally teachers are impressed when the students get a full score. You're a weird one." Yuri sneered.

"I'd say getting a full score is about as hard as getting the exact minimum number of points to pass, so now here's my hypothesis: you're actually a pretty smart one but you choose to do play with the limits, for whatever reason. Am I right?"

Yuri shrugged. "I don't like doing extra effort. If what I do is enough to pass, then why do more?"

A short laugh was his reply. "Indeed, one can think like that and be convinced they aren't wrong. But let me give you a friendly piece of advice, Mr Lowell: living on the edge can become dangerous. And I'm not talking about school. In your everyday life, you should always try your best in order to avoid nasty surprises."

"Yeah, thanks. I'll remember that." Yuri replied, pretty sure that he'd forget about it as soon as he stepped out of the classroom.

"Well, that was all I wanted to tell you. Have a nice day, Mr Lowell!"

"Thanks."

A mere five seconds later, Yuri was hurrying to the cafeteria, quite annoyed at the old man. Try your best? What's the use if you can achieve what you want with less? Did he think life was like those books where the main characters always tried to outdo themselves for some glorious purposes? Well, Yuri wasn't the main character of a book.

* * *

><p>At 5.10 pm sharp, Yuri crossed the school gates along with Karol and Rita who were chatting happily about today's dinner. Apparently they were celebrating one of the kids' birthday at the orphanage, and Pia had promised to make excellent cakes; Karol was almost drooling at the thought, if it weren't for Rita smacking his head and telling him to behave.<p>

"She said she's gonna bake a lemon pie, and also a strawberry cake! Yuri, you sure you don't wanna come?" Karol asked with excitement. "It's gonna be fun!"

"I wasn't invited, was I? And I'm pretty sure that if I were to come, I'd have to bring something too. That'd be too much a bother." Yuri waved off the offer.

"Nah, you know Pia wouldn't mind at all! She keeps asking about you almost every day!"

"Yeah, and she also keeps saying you're an idiot and a twat." Rita added.

"That's not true! Well... a bit, but hey, it's partly your fault too, Yuri. Yuri? What's the matter?" the younger boy inquired, frowning as Yuri suddenly turned his head as if he had spotted something farther away.

"Hm? Oh, nothing." Yuri replied after a few seconds. "Must have been my imagination."

"Why? What did you see?" Karol insisted.

"Nah, don't bother about that. Anyway, I think that's your bus I see over there." The long-haired male pointed at the bus stop.

"Oh crap! OK, we're off then! See you tomorrow!"

Yuri waved back at his two friends who left running before picking out his earphones from the coat pocket. Music filled his ears on his way back, and he tried to forget about that flash of dark pink he thought he had spotted disappearing behind a building.

* * *

><p>"OK, five-minute break!" the coach announced.<p>

Along with his comrades, Flynn removed his mask and walked to the bench where he had put his bottle of water. After looking around for several seconds, he frowned. Said bottle was nowhere to be seen. He laid his sword on the bench with an annoyed look; he was quite sure he had left the bottle there, but apparently someone had decided to borrow it. Well, there was also a small chance he had actually left it in the changing room, which he decided to check.

However, on his way to the changing room, he saw a very familiar figure leaning against the wall... and drinking in a very familiar bottle.

"Yuri..." Flynn said with a sigh of reproach, though he still felt inwardly pleased that the other boy had come to his fencing training session.

"Hm? Oh, Flynn! 'Sup?" Yuri asked happily, pretending not to have noticed the sigh.

"Would you be kind enough to give this back to me?"

"You mean this?" Yuri asked back, pointing innocently at the bottle. "Tell you what, I was suddenly thirsty and I spotted that bottle on the bench. So I thought 'Surely its owner must be an honourable and kind soul and won't mind if I help myself.' Who would have guessed that it was yours?" And just to annoy Flynn a bit more, Yuri took a last sip before handing the bottle back to him with a faint smirk.

The blonde boy could only chuckle while shaking his head as he grabbed the bottle and sated his thirst. Right when he did so, a whistle was heard.

"Hey Flynn! You know how we call what you just did?" a student addressed him. "An indirect kiss!"

At those words, several other students laughed and whistled as well, while one of them approached Flynn and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, telling him with a teasing tone:

"You never told us you swung that way, Flynn." Then, turning to Yuri, he added with a large grin: "A friendly warning: this little guy here is quite hung-up, so don't be too surprised."

"Damian!" Flynn protested.

"I'll remember that." Yuri replied, laughing. "Though I've already noticed it."

"Yuri, don't start on that either!" The blonde boy's cheeks were now showing a nice tint of red, making the other students laugh.

"But man, you really need to find yourself a girl, that'd help you loosen up a bit. They're lining up for you, you know." the one called Damian added, patting Flynn's back.

"I totally agree." Yuri nodded.

"OK folks! Break is over!" the coach announced, much to Flynn's relief.

With one last glare to Yuri, Flynn resumed the training session.

* * *

><p>"Yuri, can I ask you to be a bit more careful?"<p>

The training session was finally over and both Flynn and Yuri were getting ready to head back home. It was quite dark outside, but the streets were well lit and still crowded.

"About what?"

"About your actions. Like earlier." Flynn replied with a sigh.

"Did I embarrass you?" Yuri asked, his tone suddenly serious.

"It's not what I meant. I know you were all joking back then, but still…"

"Yeah, so I did embarrass you."

"No, you didn't." Flynn replied, getting slightly irritated. "Listen, I just want to be cautious, that's all."

"I still don't get why you need to be so cautious, though. Unless you don't want people to know you're involved with someone like me."

"Yuri, please don't say that." The blonde boy let out dryly as he stopped walking. With a slightly hesitant voice, he went on: "I'm more than happy to have you as my friend, as my… boyfriend, but it's not as simple as you may think. Try to understand."

"I'm trying, Flynn, but I can't say it helps much. I know your life's much more complicated than mine, but that doesn't tell me why you're so afraid to show that we're close." Yuri replied stubbornly.

"It's not that I'm afraid!" Flynn retorted. "I just think it's wiser not to rush anything and see how this goes with time."

Yuri shrugged. "Life is short, might as well enjoy it as much as you can while you can. I hate people who can't just decide on anything and choose to 'wait and see'. How long do you plan to wait? A month? A year? Ten years?" His tone clearly reflected annoyance now.

"I don't know, I can't see the future, Yuri. I'm only saying I'd rather be cautious in order to avoid missing a step and regretting it later." Flynn paused with a sigh, then went on: "Did you really mean what you said? Do you really hate me now?"

"Maybe." Yuri shrugged again.

Flynn felt hurt, and his heart sank. He tried reading Yuri's face for any sign that he was actually not serious, secretly hoping to see the latter giving him one of his cocky smiles and telling him that it was but a mere joke; yet the dark-haired boy didn't seem in a joking mood. What had Flynn just done? He had barely managed to find a person to get attached to, and now he was already ruining everything with a few mere words? How more stupid could one be?

"Anyway, it's getting late. I'm going home." Yuri broke the silence. Apparently he was getting tired of waiting for Flynn to reply. "See you tomorrow." he added, turning away.

Flynn's brain reacted at an incredibly high speed. It was easy. Yuri was hard to deal with. Yuri was his polar opposite on about almost everything. Yuri was the reason why the relationship between his family and Sodia's was threatened. Being with Yuri had nothing profitable in it.

But Yuri was the one person he didn't want to let go.

His hand grabbed Yuri's wrist.

"Yuri, wait." His heart was pounding hard against his chest and he could only hope that it was dark enough for Yuri not to see the deep blush on his cheeks. The other boy turned round, his face abnormally serious.

"I'll try my best to change. So please, bear with me a bit longer." Flynn had tried not to sound too pleading, but his eyes were telling much more than what he had wanted to let out. And Yuri hadn't missed it. The sapphire gaze that Flynn was giving him made him feel remorse for his rather cold behaviour, and as much as he wanted to deny it, he had realized that one of his weakest points was Flynn's gaze. A mere glance in those blue-lagoon eyes was enough for Yuri to yield, and today was not going to be an exception.

'_I'll try my best.'_ Another voice saying something similar suddenly rang in Yuri's head. _'You should always try your best.'_ Right. The old man. What was with everyone wanting to try their best? A sigh escaped Yuri's lips.

"Fine." he finally said. "But I want compensation."

"Compensation? What do you mean?" Flynn inquired, intrigued.

"I mean this." Without any other warning, Yuri closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together before quickly pulling back. The kiss hadn't even last one second, as they were still outside after all.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it." Yuri spoke before Flynn could say anything. "But alright, I'll bear with you."

"Thank you, Yuri." Flynn replied with a genuine smile, feeling deeply relieved. After a second of hesitation, he asked: "Would you like to come over? We could go eat something somewhere."

"Your offer is very tempting, but I have an assignment for tomorrow and I still haven't started on it yet, so I'll have to decline." Yuri replied sullenly.

"It's fine. Some other day then." Flynn smiled, hiding his disappointment.

They soon parted ways, and Yuri hurried back home; the weather outside was starting to feel quite wintery now. He barely paid attention to all the passers-by as he walked, until something caught his attention, almost making him start. However, as he blinked once, the vision vanished.

Over there, against the streetlight, he could have sworn he had seen someone leaning against it. Someone with an unpleasantly familiar hair colour. Dark pink, to be more accurate. But now, as he watched again carefully, the spot was really empty. Maybe it was Yuri's imagination, after all.

Still, twice in a week? _'No, I must be hallucinating or something.'_ Especially when nowadays, it wasn't uncommon to see youngsters dye their hair with ridiculous colours. It was probably nothing to worry about.

* * *

><p>Flynn's mobile rang, and the screen displayed a name which he hadn't seen for quite some time. It was also a name he never liked seeing on the screen.<p>

"Good afternoon, mother." he picked up the call with resignation.

"_I received a message from the Vernas saying that their daughter wants to postpone the engagement."_ Flynn's mother's voice was as cold as usual, if not colder. _"Apparently she doesn't feel ready yet."_

"That is what she told me, indeed." Flynn lied, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"_Well? What exactly did you do to her?"_

"What do you mean?"

"_I'm not stupid, Flynn. Sodia was clearly looking forward to the engagement. You must have certainly done something that made her feel uncomfortable for her to request a postponing."_

"Mother, Sodia was certainly looking forward to the engagement, but stress and pressure have probably taken over her and made her think again before rushing things. If she feels that she needs more time, then I am not uncivilized enough to oppose her."

"_You do know that it is in our greatest benefit to remain on excellent terms with the Vernas, don't you? The engagement was supposed to be an excuse to form a partnership with them. We cannot allow them to set their eyes on another company but ours, you hear me?"_

"I understand, mother." _'And I disapprove.'_ Flynn wanted to add, but the words remained unspoken.

"_If you do, then you will do whatever it takes to keep a close relationship with Sodia."_

"Yes, mother."

"_That will be all."_

The call ended with no other ceremony and a long sigh escaped Flynn's lips as he put his mobile back on his desk. No matter how much he wanted not to think of it, at some point he knew he'd have to confront his whole family and Sodia's and tell them he had no intention of marrying her. When that'd happen, he didn't even want to think of the consequences.

If only he was financially independent, it would be another matter.

Several minutes passed, during which new thoughts were starting to form in Flynn's head. He had been trained since his birth to become a company leader, hadn't he? And twenty years old was a good age to start putting into practice everything he had been taught until now. Without boasting, one could say that his skills in the business area were quite remarkable, and having lived in that environment since ever had given him more experience and contacts than many seniors would have dreamt to have.

Now the only detail left to deal with was to make sure his family didn't know about it.

* * *

><p>The day was finally over, and though it was only Thursday, most students were already talking about plans for the weekend. Naturally, Yuri wasn't part of them since his plans every weekend were already quite known in advance: work. And speaking of which...<p>

"Flynn, you wanna drop by the Square 9 tonight?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tonight. I have several things to do and I don't want them to pile up." Flynn replied apologetically, earning a mere shrug from Yuri.

"Workaholic."

"I'll try to do as much as I can tonight, and maybe tomorrow I'll have some free time to see you."

"Maybe you should take a break sometimes, Flynn. It can't do you any good to work so much. Makes me wonder if you aren't just trying to find excuses not to see me." Yuri added with the clear intention of making Flynn feel guilty. The trick worked.

"Yuri, you know I'm not making excuses!" the blonde one protested vehemently. Then, with a sigh, he went on with a cooler tone: "Fine, I promise you that I'll come tomorrow."

"And you'll get a discount for that promise." Yuri replied, his face lighting up.

The joy didn't last long as the next second, a voice he thought he'd never hear again rose behind them, among the noise all the other students were making.

"Long time no see, _Yuri Lowell_." His name had been pronounced as if it was poison.

Yuri immediately turned round, and froze at the sight. Out of reflex, his fists clenched while his face darkened. Too many questions were flashing in his head: how, when, what for and what next? There were still many people around them, surely if some ruckus were to be triggered, they'd help him deal with it somehow. But there was Flynn right next to him. The last thing Yuri wanted was for Flynn to see him with that... trash. _'Calm down. Calm down. He can't do anything to you here. Not with so many people around.'_

"Well? Not a single word of 'welcome back, Zagi'?" the stranger opposing them sneered. "And here I thought you'd be happy to see me again after all this time."

Flynn looked at Yuri, then back at the man who was facing them. He definitely looked very suspicious. His weird hair colour put aside – seriously, pink? – there was also the way he was dressed, in black leather torn here and there, and with numerous piercings on his ears, eyebrows and even his tongue – which Flynn had been able to notice as the stranger licked his lips with an insane glimpse in his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Yuri asked icily.

"Just passing by. I thought I'd say hello to my old friend." the one who called himself Zagi replied with a smirk. He walked closer to Yuri who tensed up and prepared his body to react quickly, but the other male merely wrapped an arm around his shoulder and dragged him a bit farther away from Flynn. Yuri had to call forth all his willpower not to punch him right on the spot.

The next second, Zagi was leaning against his ear and speaking in an unpleasantly low voice:

"Now, now, relax a bit. Today I didn't come to pay you back everything I owe you, even though I'm really craving for it. Today I just came to give you a warning: stay away from your _boyfriend_ over there if you want to avoid trouble. Got it?"

Zagi then pulled away from Yuri and, acting as if everything was fine, he added:

"Well, it was a pleasure to see you again, Lowell. Let's meet around again someday." he said before he started walking away, though not without turning his head back once last time to give Yuri an eerie smirk.

Flynn was, to say the least, confused. It was obvious at first sight that Yuri was everything but happy with that unexpected encounter, but who exactly was that person? Stepping closer to Yuri, he noticed that the latter had lowered his head, letting his bangs cover his eyes. A closer look at him revealed that both his arms were shaking lightly – out of rage or out of fear? Or both?

"Yuri..." Flynn put a hand on Yuri's shoulder, making him start at the touch. "Who was that person?"

"Huh? Oh... No one you should be concerned about." the other boy replied with a tone that would have convinced anyone but Flynn.

"Yuri, it's obvious you're having some problems with him. If I can help, then-"

"I said he's no one you should be concerned about!" Yuri snapped, glaring furiously at Flynn who definitely didn't expect such a reaction. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to shout on you like that." the dark-haired male went on, looking away. Flynn shook his head.

"It's fine, just tell me if I can help you in any way."

"Not really. Anyway, I've changed my mind. It'd be better if you didn't come tomorrow evening."

"Why?"

"Just... stay at home or something."

"But why?" Flynn insisted, frowning in confusion.

"For now, please just don't wander around by yourself when it's dark outside."

"Yuri, you make it sound as if it was in my habits to do that."

Yuri clicked his tongue, annoyed.

"I mean, if you go to the pub, you'll have to go back home late, and I don't want that."

"Why the sudden worry?"

The other boy looked obviously pissed by the question and didn't reply right away, as if looking for the right words to say.

"I just don't want anything to happen to you." he let out after a few seconds of silence, his eyes still not meeting Flynn's. It was rare to see Yuri so serious, and it was precisely what was disturbing Flynn.

"There's no reason for anything to happen to me, Yuri. Don't worry."

"But I do! Listen, for now, just do me a favour and do as I say, OK?" Yuri finally turned to the blonde boy and put both his arms on his shoulders.

"At least explain to me why you're acting so strange. I'm not stupid enough not to see it has something to do with the other guy." Flynn retorted.

"Then for once, act stupid and pretend you didn't see anything!" Yuri snapped again.

"I can't do that when you refuse to talk to me! Don't you trust me?" Flynn then glanced around him and sighed. "Listen, why don't we talk about this somewhere else? We're starting to attract too much attention."

"... Fine." Yuri replied reluctantly. "I'll be off now, then." he added with a sullen tone.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Flynn nodded.

As they parted ways, both boys' minds were filled troubled thoughts, though not for the same reasons. While Flynn was wondering what the connection between Yuri and that Zagi was, Yuri on the other hand was having very unpleasant memories come back to him; memories from a time he wished could be erased definitely.

But more importantly, how come Zagi was there? According to Rita, he was supposed to be hundreds of miles away. And even so, how did he know that Yuri was still here? Even those at the orphanage hadn't had any clue that he was studying at this university, so how did zagi know? Or was it just a mere coincidence? No, that couldn't be.

And last but not least... he knew that Flynn was going out with him. How? They had been quite careful while in public... wait, was it on that day after Flynn's training session, when Yuri had allowed himself to be a bit careless and had kissed Flynn? It was also on that same day that he had caught a glimpse of a person with dark pink hair leaning against a street light.

Yuri cursed silently at his own stupidity. He knew Zagi all too well to fear what could possibly happen next. Of course Zagi's target was going to be Flynn. His targets had always been people who had something to do with Flynn, in one way or another. And since he had witnessed the closeness between Yuri and Flynn, he was definitely not going to let it go.

Flynn was going to get hurt, and once again, it'd be Yuri's fault. The long-haired male felt his blood boil inside of him, in a way which he hadn't felt for years. They weren't kids anymore; there was no Pia or no other annoying adult to tell them to calm down and behave, therefore Yuri wasn't going to behave.

Whatever Zagi wanted to do to Flynn wasn't going to happen. Not if Yuri dealt with him first.

* * *

><p>On the next day, Flynn caught up to Yuri in the corridor.<p>

"Yuri! How are you doing today?"

"Not bad." Yuri lied perfectly.

"About yesterday..." Flynn started, but Yuri interrupted him immediately:

"Don't worry about that, I'm gonna deal with that guy somehow."

"Who is it exactly?"

"You won't give up until I give you answer, right?" Yuri asked with a sigh.

"Indeed, I won't."

"We were raised in the same orphanage, and let's say we never really got along with each other. So I guess he came back here to settle a few scores with me. But don't worry about it."

"Yuri, you should be careful not to do something stupid that could bring you trouble." Flynn warned him. Concern was painted all over his face, and seeing that, Yuri couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm a responsible guy now, you know? So just let me deal with it and it'll soon be over."

"If you need any help..."

"Nah, you don't have to get involved in this. It's my own business. But thanks for the offer."

"Do I at least have your permission to see you tonight at the Square 9 then?" Flynn asked with a smile.

Yuri hesitated a bit. He definitely wanted Flynn to come, but at the same time, he didn't want both of them to regret it later. Still, his selfishness took over him:

"Yeah, I guess you have." he replied, sighing. "But only at one condition."

"Which is?"

"You'll have to wait until my shift is over so I can walk you home afterwards."

"Yuri! Stop making it sound like I was a girl!"

"That wasn't my intention, don't worry." Yuri laughed, then with an mischevious smile, he added: "But I thought maybe it wouldn't be bad if I dropped by your place just a bit so we could be just you and me, for a while."

Naturally, the suggestion made Flynn blush and he gave a short cough to hide his embarrassment.

"I-I guess it's conceivable, indeed."

"Perfect. Now I need to run to my next class. I'll see you in a few hours then!" Yuri gave a quick peck on Flynn's lips after making sure no one was around, then ran off before the blonde boy could reply anything.

* * *

><p>As promised, Flynn stayed at the pub until Yuri's shift was over, and it was almost midnight when they finally stepped into Flynn's place. Yuri assured him that he wouldn't stay too long as he still had to work early on the next day, to which Flynn merely replied:<p>

"Then we may as well take advantage of that little time as much as we can."

The next second, and to Yuri's deepest surprise, Flynn's lips were on his while his arms had already found their way to Yuri's waist. It was rare for Flynn to initiate anything, but it only made it more enjoyable for Yuri. The latter wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck, giving in to the gentle yet demanding kiss.

Time could pass at an extremely quick pace, Yuri thought, especially when seated on a comfortable sofa and locked in Flynn's embrace, and when he offered Yuri to stay over for the night, the latter had to struggle hard against the temptation to accept. Instead he cocked an eyebrow and smirked:

"I didn't know you were so much in a hurry to take our relationship to the next step." he teased Flynn, who suddenly seemed to realize the implication of those words. He blushed furiously and shook his head frantically:

"N-No! I just meant that you could sleep here if you want. There's another bedroom which you can use, I didn't mean-"

A finger on his lips silenced him. "I know, I know. I was just joking. Seriously, learn to recognize a joke when you hear one." Yuri sighed. Slipping his fingers in Flynn's blonde locks, he leant into another kiss. "Anyway, I'll have to decline your offer, otherwise I fear I won't feel like going to work tomorrow."

"That's a pity, but I understand." Flynn replied with a hint of disappointment. Then, seeing Yuri getting up, he asked: "Are you leaving now?"

"Yeah, it's getting late and I really need to sleep." Yuri replied, stretching his arms.

"I'll call you a taxi."

"Nah, it's fine. I can walk."

"Yuri, honestly I'm a bit worried after what you told me about that Zagi. You warned me not to wander around at night, and I think the same could apply to you. I'll call a taxi, and this is not arguable."

Given Flynn's firm tone, Yuri knew that his only option was to say 'yes'. Which he did. And in the end, he was actually grateful for it, for having someone drive you directly home wasn't such a bad idea in the end.

* * *

><p>On Saturday, Flynn pushed open the door of the Square 9 at noon sharp and stayed there for about an hour before excusing himself.<p>

"I still have a lot of work to do." he told Yuri who merely stuck his tongue at him. "I'll come back tomorrow." he promised, laughing.

At 11.30 pm, Yuri wished the staff good night and exited the pub. As he walked by a small alley, a voice made him stop. His blood froze.

"Well, well, well, _Lowell. _ It seems like you forgot the warning I gave you the other day."

"Zagi." Yuri stated coldly to the silhouette which was slowly emerging from the dark, revealing a mad grin on the man's face.

"I did tell you kindly enough to get away from the other guy, didn't I?" the latter sneered.

"I'm not letting you touch a single of his hair." Yuri replied defiantly, balling his fists.

Zagi burst out laughing maniacally.

"Oh but I think there's some confusion here. Lowell, the one I'm after this time isn't him. It's you."

It was the only warning Yuri got before Zagi rushed at him. The last thing he saw was something metallic flash by his eyes, and the ground. The last thing he felt was accute pain near his abdomen and the shock of his body hitting the concrete. And the last thing he heard was an insane laugh, followed by those words:

"Though I think I may have fun playing with your boyfriend a bit too."

**xxxxx**

**A/N: Ahem. Yeah, so it had to happen at some point XD **


	19. November 6th to 7th

**November 6****th to 7th**

It felt as if losing all one's senses, slowly, progressively**, **all but his sense of touch which seemed to have been enhanced tenfold. The pain searing him wouldn't allow him to breathe, even a little. His vision got blurry, that insane laugh was soon reduced to a deafened sound and there was only numbness left.

Oh, and something warm as well. Something that had the same taste as iron. But at least, it was warm, unlike the stones covering the street. Still, shivers ran through his body. Well, it was soon winter after all, right? But then again, he started doubting the outside temperature was the only reason for his feeling cold.

And that dizziness taking over him... The thoughts in his head were now a mere splash of dim colours, mainly black and grey tones. And suddenly in the middle, a flash of gold. No, not gold, but bright yellow.

And two small azure spots, like jewels of turquoise. But those colours were soon swallowed by the monochromatic scenery.

He plunged.

* * *

><p>Morning was chilly, Flynn noticed as he opened the windows of his room. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but the clouds veiling it weren't dark enough to announce the coming of the rain. A fine day, according to the blonde male who had never really liked the sun. It was still early, but surely Yuri wouldn't mind if he sent him a good morning message on his phone, would he?<p>

Flynn felt that somehow, his relationship with Yuri had taken a strange turn those past days, especially after the little argument they had had on that night. And he also felt that it was partly his fault for not making much effort to bring them closer to each other. It was always Yuri who came to find him, it was always him who suggested they spent some time together, and it was always – almost – him who initiated their kisses...

Grabbing his mobile, he typed a short message and sent it before settling down on his desk, his laptop in front of him. And for once, it was not to do some school assignments. If one had a look at what he was doing, one would surely mistake him for an experienced businessman. Truth be told, Flynn was still in the process of learning in that area, yet he was a quick learner.

Soon, very soon enough, he'd be freed of all his debts towards those he called parents.

* * *

><p>Pia's face turned pale the second she heard the piece of news on the phone. She had first growled when the ring tone had woken her up at that unholy hour in the morning, before frowning upon hearing the woman introducing herself as a nurse from the local hospital, and then her heart failed a beat once the name of 'Yuri Lowell' was pronounced. The shocked exclamation reflected only a hundredth of what she was feeling right now.<p>

"How is he now?"

"_His condition hasn't stabilized yet so we're keeping him under close surveillance because the wound is serious and he could relapse at any time._"

"Can I come and see him now?" The middle-aged woman asked with a trembling voice.

"_You can come if you want, but you won't be able to see him right away because he's still in the ICU. For now it would be better for you to calm down and inform any other people you think should be informed. We will call you immediately if anything happens._"

"If anything happens? Like what? " Anxiety could clearly be heard in Pia's voice now.

"_We will keep you informed when he wakes up._"

"F-Fine. But he _will_ wake up, won't he?"

"_The doctors say the chances are good, however I cannot guarantee you anything. But as I said earlier, I recommend you to take this as calmly as you can, and wait for us to call you again._"

"When will I be able to visit him?" Pia insisted.

"_Once again, it will depend on his state. It's up to the doctors to determine if he's in any condition to receive visitors._" The nurse explained patiently.

"A-Alright. Then I will wait."

"_Thank you for your understanding. I'm sure you'll get to see him soon._"

When Pia hung up, she let herself drop on the nearby chair, still trying to register what she had just been told. Yuri? Stabbed? Why? By whom? Surely it was an accident. Did the culprit want money? Probably, and Yuri happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Pia could hardly see any other explanation.

She glanced at her watch. All the kids were probably still sleeping, including Rita and Karol. Since it was Sunday, they'd certainly agree to come with her to the hospital. Judith was supposed to arrive in an hour; she'd watch over the orphanage in her stead.

Now the only problem left was to wait patiently until the afternoon.

* * *

><p>Flynn's mobile screen lit on, indicating an incoming message. 'Yuri' was the first name that came to the blonde boy's mind as he grabbed the device. However, the name that was displayed wasn't Yuri's, but Karol's. Arching an eyebrow, he read the message and his eyes opened wide.<p>

It had to be a joke, right? A very bad one, but still. Karol had always liked making jokes, but this time this was going too far.

'_Please refrain from making jokes of that kind, they are not funny at all.'_ he typed back. The answer came almost immediately:

'_This is no joke! Yuri's really at the hospital, it's Schwann who found him and brought him there! Judith told us!'_

Judith? The school's nurse? And whoever was Schwann? A frown appeared on Flynn's face as doubt started rising in him. Maybe he was right, after all. That would explain why he still hadn't received any answer from Yuri. Yet, the best way to make sure of the information was to call the hospital directly.

While dialling the number, he barely noticed his heart pounding harder against his chest or the faint trembling of his fingers. Without beating about the bush, he asked the person who had picked up the call:

"I'd like to know if someone by the name of Yuri Lowell is currently being hospitalized."

"_A moment, please._"

The waiting seemed like an eternity to Flynn, and when the receptionist finally replied, the answer was definitely not the one Flynn wanted to hear:

"_Yuri Lowell, yes. He was admitted yesterday night._"

"What's his current state?"

"_If you are a relative, you should have been informed already._"

"I'm not. I'm a friend of his." Flynn replied, slightly annoyed.

"_In which case please contact his relatives, or come to the hospital and provide an ID. I'm not allowed to give you any further information."_

Containing his frustration back, Flynn thanked the receptionist as coolly as he could before hanging up. So Karol was right. Flynn read his message once again, still unable to believe it.

'_Yuri was stabbed yesterday and is in the ICU of Zaphias hospital!'_

It felt so unrealistic. Flynn had never heard about any crime in this city, so why now? Why Yuri? And right after that enjoyable evening they had had together, right after Yuri had warned _him_ to be careful at night because of...

The blonde male froze on the spot, his mind quickly putting pieces together until it clicked. No... It was too much to be a coincidence. Still, it sounded unbelievable. It _had_ to be a coincidence; Flynn stubbornly refused to believe otherwise. He refused to believe that it was because of him that Yuri was now in a critical state. If he hadn't agreed to let Yuri accompany him back to his place, if he had taken the other boy's warnings seriously, it wouldn't have happened.

Flynn punched the wall beside him with a frustrated cry. He had been careless and now Yuri was paying the price of his carelessness.

* * *

><p>Lunch was unusually silent at Pia's table. While the younger children were still shouting and making a complete fuss, the older ones and the adults merely kept quiet.<p>

"Pia, are you feeling alright?" Judith asked, concerned.

"Yes, yes I am. I'm just... It's frustrating to know that one of your kids is severely injured and you can't see him." the other woman replied, looking distraught. "When I think that he could have... died if your friend hadn't found him." she hiccupped, refusing to let any tear out.

"Yes, Yuri was lucky that Raven was out late for a drink yesterday. Consider this luck as a good sign." Judith patted Pia's back comfortingly.

"It's weird imagining a teacher drinking. But yeah, lucky." Karol commented while shoving some pasta in his mouth.

"Don't speak with your mouthful!" Rita hit him on the back of the head.

"Ouch! Can't you at least pretend to be worried for Yuri?" the boy snapped back.

"Being worried for Yuri and teaching you manners have nothing to do with each other." Rita retorted. "Of course I'm worried about that idiot, but until the hospital calls again, there's nothing much we can do but keep on living normally."

"So young and yet so wise." Judith commented with an amused tone, and somehow Pia also managed to smile a little.

The atmosphere was lighter, even if just a bit, but at least now the table wasn't silent anymore. Rita was right. They could only keep on acting normally.

* * *

><p>It had been almost three hours since Flynn had arrived to the hospital and been told to wait outside the ICU. Minutes passed at a torturously slow pace. A nurse had offered him a glass of water several times but his anxiety was such that he completely ignored his thirst. The small pat the nurse gave him on the back wasn't enough to dismiss the gloomy thoughts clouding his mind.<p>

What if Yuri's condition worsened? What if he didn't make it out? Flynn would be left alone, barely two weeks after admitting their feelings for each other. This was completely unfair. His heart sank as he buried his face between his hands. Losing Yuri was the last option he willed to happen, and yet, at this instant, the chance for it to occur was high. Could it be that it was meant to turn out like this? That Yuri was meant to disappear, that Flynn was meant to resume his normal life, namely get engaged, inherit his parents' business and climb his way to success?

'_Silly, you're giving up too quickly.'_ he scolded himself mentally. If he gave up before even trying to struggle, then what worth was he? Yuri had it much tougher than him and he had never stopped leading his life as he wanted, and Flynn would be ashamed to face him if he couldn't do at least that much.

The clock hand ticked, soon pointing to 3 pm, and finally, the door of the unit opened. Flynn stood up immediately, ready to rush at the surgeon who was walking out. At his sight, the latter removed his mask and asked him:

"Are you a relative?"

"No, I'm his friend. How is he?" Flynn urged.

"We stabilized his condition, but he'll need plenty of rest. Don't worry, his life is not threatened anymore. Some organs were damaged, but nothing beyond recovery. We're transferring him to his room. You can come if you want, but wait for the nurses' permission before entering his room."

"I understand. Thank you very much." the blonde boy replied gratefully, feeling sudden relief seizing him. Yuri was fine. He was going to recover. He wasn't going to leave Flynn all by himself. His heart beat harder against his chest, but this time it was of excitement.

Not a minute later, two nurses appeared pushing a gurney on which someone was lying. Flynn hurried to them and a pained expression appeared on his face at the sight of the pale figure exposed under his eyes.

If the surgeon hadn't said otherwise, Flynn could have believed that Yuri had already left this world. His colourless skin contrasted sharply with the cascade of dark hair framing his face, and the only sign that he was still alive was the very faint heaving on his chest at each inspiration. The only reassuring point was that he didn't look in pain, but the anaesthetics had probably something to do with it.

"Yuri..." Flynn murmured as he reached out a hand to his cheek, but one of the nurses stopped him:

"Please wait until we've transferred him to his room, then you'll be allowed to stay with him if you wish so."

Flynn complied reluctantly, telling himself that he could afford waiting a few more minutes while the nurses carried Yuri to his room, settled him on the bed, made sure that his transfusion bag was correctly set and gave Flynn a few basic recommendations before finally leaving.

The blonde boy knelt by the bed's side, gazing at the sleeping face without a word for several seconds. Then, with one hand, he delicately moved away a few strands of hair from Yuri's face. Now that he could have a closer look at him, he noticed a very faint frown indicating that Yuri was probably still struggling against his wound. Tiny drops of sweat were beading from Yuri's forehead, but his respiration was steady and the nurses had assured Flynn that everything was fine now; therefore there was nothing to worry about.

'_Yuri, hurry up and wake up. You're not being very nice, making me wait for you like this.'_

His fingers caressed the pale cheek gently before lingering on those barely more coloured lips. They were quite dry, and Flynn had a hard time resisting the urge to damp them with his own. It was then that he realized that he was actually very thirsty, and resigned himself to stand up and look around for a source of water.

Luckily enough, the nurses had left glasses and a carafe on a table not too far from the bed. Flynn poured himself a full glass and gulped it down within a second before repeating the process once more. When he put down the glass and turned back to the bed, a pair of dark amethyst eyes was staring at him.

The silence only lasted one second.

"Yuri!" Flynn rushed by the other boy's side, grabbing his hand in his own.

"Flynn... Holy crap, the headache..." Yuri uttered hoarsely before bringing his other hand to his forehead, wincing in the process. "Ouch... what the hell... How long have I been..."

"Don't move, Yuri. You were injured seriously, so take it easy. Today's Sunday. You were at my place yesterday, remember?" Flynn squeezed Yuri's hand while stroking his long hair reassuringly.

The touch was soothing, Yuri thought, distracting him enough so that the pain on his left side faded a bit.

"How are you feeling?" Flynn asked again.

"Oh, perfectly well if you ask me. I've never felt any better."

Flynn couldn't help but chuckle. It was Yuri alright. And then, on the next second, Flynn's lips were gently pressing against Yuri's. Only one night had passed, yet it felt like an eternity since the last time they had kissed. Yuri's lips were warm, and it was a warmth Flynn had never imagined he could have missed that much. When he pulled back, Yuri let out a small sigh, visibly pleased, and making Flynn smile. But then his face turned serious again.

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked.

Yuri frowned, diverting his eyes as if he was trying to search his memory. Not that he had any trouble remembering the events of the past night. That bastard Zagi had actually stabbed him. Yuri had made the fatal mistake of believing that he wouldn't go as far as to attempt to take someone else's life, but obviously Zagi had turned rotten enough not to hesitate to use such means.

So much for wanting to crush him first, Yuri thought bitterly. He had been pitiful. That kind of 'accident' wouldn't have happened a year ago, when Yuri was still... No, that was a period of his life that shouldn't be brought back to light anymore. Still, if he hadn't turned so soft as months passed, Zagi would probably be the only lying here now.

That sick laugh of his still echoed in Yuri's head, as well as his voice tainted with madness, spouting nonsense about a forgotten warning, about staying away from Flynn and...

Yuri's eyes opened wide. The last sentence Zagi had uttered suddenly came back to his mind, as clear as if he had just heard it.

_"Though I think I may have fun playing with your boyfriend a bit too."_

The long-haired male made an abrupt attempt at sitting up, but the anaesthetics had rendered him numb and nauseous, and the attempt only resulted in acute pain from his left side and a hiss of displeasure.

"Yuri, what's the matter? Please don't force yourself to move." Flynn reacted immediately. He had noticed Yuri's face darkening but didn't want to urge him to talk; however it didn't mean that his concern wasn't increasing dramatically.

"Flynn, he's going after you! He said that you'd be his next target! You have to-"

"Yuri, for heaven's sake, calm down!" Flynn snapped, startling the other boy. "For now, you need rest." he went on with a softer voice. "So please, rest. You need to take care of yourself."

"But-"

A finger on Yuri's lips silenced him.

"I'll listen to you, but you have to remain calm. Understood?"

The reluctant nod he received was far from being convincing, but Flynn would have to be satisfied with it.

"Good. Now please go on."

"That trash... He said he's coming after you."

"By 'trash', I assume you mean Zagi?"

A new nod.

"I must find him as quickly as possible and dispose of him." Yuri stated darkly.

"Why did he try to kill you?"

"... I don't know." Yuri half-lied, before deciding that it would actually be easier to tell the truth. "Or maybe I do. You remember that day when he talked to me at school? Well, he told me to get away from you before something bad happened."

"What? But why? I don't even know him." Flynn gave Yuri a puzzled look.

"..."

'_Because you know me, and that's enough for him.'_ Yuri wanted to reply, but didn't find the courage to. However, there was something which Yuri failed to understand. Normally Zagi would simply go after Yuri's acquaintances without even bothering with warnings. Yet this time he had followed none of those two rules.

"Yuri?" Flynn interrupted his thoughts. The blonde boy was looking at him worriedly, which for some reason started to annoy him.

"I don't know. And seriously, stop looking at me like that, I'm not dying you know?"

"But you could have!"

Before Yuri got any time to reply, a knock was heard before the door opened, revealing a nurse who smiled as she saw Yuri.

"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked, walking to him to check his transfusion pack.

"Fine, I guess."

"You're probably still under the effects of the anaesthetics, so your body must feel a bit numb, but don't worry about it. After an hour or two, the effects will wear off. Would you like something to eat?" she finally asked with a bright smile.

"Huh, yeah, why not?" was all Yuri could find to answer.

"I'll bring you something right away. And you have some other visitors, but they're only allowed to stay here a quarter of an hour." the nurse informed.

"A quarter of an hour? Why so little?" Yuri inquired. "Flynn's been here for longer than that."

"Because you need rest and having too many people in your room won't do you any good." she explained patiently. "Now if you'll excuse me."

As she left the room, Yuri saw her motioning to other people to come in, and a second later, Pia, Karol and Rita were stepping inside.

"Oh, Flynn! You're here too!" Karol exclaimed.

"Lower your voice, you idiot!" Rita hit him on the head.

"Please calm down, children." Pia scolded them. "Or I'll have you wait outside."

"Tch." Rita crossed her arms and shrugged.

Greetings were exchanged, as well as news. Yuri had been careful not to let a single word out about Zagi, for he knew Pia wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully if she knew that he had come back. It was also through the conversation that Yuri learnt that he owed his life to Raven Schwann, which didn't particularly put him into a good mood, especially when Karol wouldn't stop teasing him about it.

The allocated fifteen minutes passed incredibly quickly, and it was soon time for the small party to say goodbye, but not without numerous recommendations from Pia which pretty much annoyed Yuri to no end.

"Why didn't you tell them about Zagi?" Flynn asked bluntly once the door closed behind them.

"They don't need to know unnecessary details." Yuri let out flatly. "And speaking of which, Flynn I beg of you, get yourself some bodyguards, or have a chauffeur drive you to wherever you must go or whatever. You should be able to afford those, right?"

"I still think they should know about him." The blonde boy replied, completely ignoring the last part of Yuri's answer.

"... Believe me, they know him."

Yuri sighed heavily, then proceeded with telling Flynn about how they were actually raised in the same orphanage together, how they would constantly be at each other's neck, how Zagi would target anyone who talked to Yuri, and how the orphanage at that time would look like a battlefield.

He had never planned to tell Flynn about all this, but he somehow felt the need to spill it out, at least for Flynn to understand the current situation.

"And that's why you left the orphanage." The blonde male stated after a short silence.

"Yeah."

"What happened after that?"

"Nothing worth mentioning." Of course it was a lie, but the last thing Yuri wanted was for Flynn to find out that he hadn't lived the most honest life one could have.

Flynn held back a disappointed sigh. So Yuri was still reluctant to tell him about those years from the day he left the orphanage to the day he entered university. Of course he had a rough idea of what had happened from Sodia's report; yet he wished to hear it from Yuri's mouth. Were they still not close enough for Yuri to trust him completely?

"And you changed the topic, Flynn."

"Did I?"

"Yeah, when I mentioned that you should get bodyguards."

Flynn burst out laughing. "Yuri! I'm not that important a person to hire a bodyguard!"

"I'm serious! I told you Zagi takes a certain pleasure in harming whoever has any connection with me! And..." Yuri sighed again before going on: "Somehow he knows we're together, which makes things even worse..."

"He knows?" Flynn suddenly stopped laughing. "How?"

"Probably on that night, when I kissed you outside. I was stupid, I know, but now the fact is that you're not safe anymore. Given what he's done to me, I can only assume he won't hesitate to kill you either. Flynn, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I've dragged you into this." Yuri covered his eyes with the back of his hand, gritting his teeth. "If I could start over again, I'd make sure to stay away from you... Shit, we should stop everything right here right now..." he murmured, much to Flynn's puzzlement.

"Yuri please, don't spout such nonsense." The blonde boy replied gently, removing Yuri's hand from his face. He sat on the edge of the bed and put a hand on Yuri's cheek. "Look at me." he ordered.

The other boy complied reluctantly, and his eyes plunged into that lagoon gaze he had come to love so much.

"Don't ever say something like that again, Yuri. We're together because we both chose to, so don't you dare change your mind now. You got me, and if you dare try to leave me, I'll use any means in my possession to get you back."

Yuri blinked once, then twice, definitely not expecting to hear such words from Flynn. Apparently the latter noticed the strangeness of his own words, for he suddenly blushed.

"I-I mean, that would be very selfish from you to think you can just-"

"Flynn, just shut up and let me enjoy what you just said." Yuri cut him in, a faint smirk on his lips.

"Yuri, that's-"

Flynn was interrupted again, but this time because Yuri had pulled him roughly to him, crashing their lips together. For someone who was supposed to be convalescent, Yuri seemed particularly vigorous, Flynn thought. Not that he minded the heated kiss they were sharing, really.

When they finally parted, Yuri was displaying that cocky smile of his.

"So I got you, huh?"

"I fear you did, yes." Flynn conceded defeat.

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p>"What is the meaning of this?" Sodia raged, slamming Monday's newspaper on her desk. On the front page could be read in bold letters 'A twenty-year old boy stabbed on Saturday night.'<p>

Her interlocutor merely snorted and shrugged.

"I asked you a question, Zagi!" The girl walked round the desk and stood in front on the pink-haired man, her arms crossed. She had to admit the man's appearance was scaring her a bit, but the presence of two of her own security guards on each of Zagi's side managed to erase her reluctance.

"Some stuff I had to settle with him." Zagi shrugged again.

"I remember clearly asking you to give him a warning, not to attempt to murder him!"

"Attempt? You mean the bastard's still alive?" Zagi stomped on the floor furiously. "Damn it! How the fuck did I manage to miss him? Where is he? I'm gonna finish him off!"

"You're not going anywhere!" Sodia snapped back. "I'll be in deep trouble if people were to learn that I actually hired someone to kill him. You leave me with no choice." she added icily.

"What? You're gonna get rid of me? Just try." Zagi sneered, but Sodia merely turned her back to him and moved back to her desk where she sat down and rested her chin on her hands.

"Yes, I'll get rid of you. Not in the way you think, though. Actually, you did me a nice favour. Since Yuri Lowell is still alive, he'll be able to tell it was you who stabbed him, and really, you don't find people with hair like yours at every street corner. Therefore I'll simply hand you over to the police. I'll get the town's gratefulness for catching a dangerous criminal, and I'll get Flynn to come back to me for saving his friend. Two birds with one stone." The brunette girl explained calmly. What she didn't expect was for Zagi to burst out laughing. And not the nice kind of laugh.

"You think that guy will come back to you? Hah! As if. You idiot." he spat out before wincing in pain as one of the security guards grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.

"Show some respect to Miss Verna." he ordered.

"You dogs, let go of m-Shit! I'll make you pay for that!" Zagi swore as the guard forced a bit more on the wrist.

"Wait, let him talk." Sodia intervened. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by 'as if'?"

"What, you don't know? Heh, seems like your information network is a bit rusty." Zagi sneered.

"Enough with that, and get to the point." the girl snapped impatiently. "What do I not know?"

"Your dear little Flynn is with Lowell." Zagi declared, an evil smile on his lips.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on! Are you _that_ stupid? They're going out together."

"That's a ridiculous lie." Sodia replied immediately. "Don't you dare assume such a thing about Flynn."

"I'm not assuming anything, I _saw_ them."

"You saw them what? Hanging out together? I know that, I've had them tailed for weeks." Irritation could be heard in Sodia's voice.

"I saw them kiss, Miss I-know-everything." The next second, Zagi burst out laughing again at the face Sodia was pulling, but not for long as the guard pressed on his wrist to bring him down on his knees.

"I don't believe you." she said icily. "You're just trying to confuse me, but this won't work on me. I'll do as I said and hand you over to the police, end of the story. Keep him locked until further notice." she then ordered to the guards, who complied immediately.

When she was left alone, she started pacing back and forth in her office, fiddling nervously with her braid.

She couldn't give credit to the words of a criminal, could she?

**xxxxx**

**A/N: I often forget to say this, but thanks a lot to you who read and review my chapters. I can only hope I'll keep my work up to your expectations! **


	20. November 8th to 13th

**November 8****th - 13th**

The pen in Sodia's fidgeting fingers fell on the carpet, eliciting an annoyed click of tongue from her. She stood up, ignoring the fallen item, and instead started pacing back and forth while biting her thumb.

As much as she wanted to ignore Zagi's words, a small voice at the back of her head kept nagging her about them. Her rational self deemed ridiculous that Flynn could actually be going out with another man – and with that Yuri Lowell above all; however, her imaginative self wouldn't leave her mind in peace, depicting unrealistic scenes where _her _Flynn was giving all his love and attention to someone who wasn't her. Unacceptable.

Yuri Lowell was a hindrance, and for a second, she actually wished that Zagi had done his job better. The next second, the thought horrified her. No, no. She didn't wish for anyone's death, not even Yuri's. She'd stick to her original plan, namely to take part to the investigation under the pretence that it was the friend of her soon-to-be fiancé who had been hurt, take Yuri's testimony, deliver Zagi to the police and gain both the people and Flynn's esteem.

And if Zagi protested, no one would ever put his word above hers.

* * *

><p>Naturally, the main topic on the campus was the student who had been stabbed on Saturday's night. Some people just shrugged about the piece of news while some others were barely hiding their excitement.<p>

"Yeah! Imagine if it was the mafia or something!"

"Oh come on, why would the mafia try to kill a university student?"

"I dunno! Maybe that guy is in some kind of shady business?"

"Yeah, right. Or maybe it was just a delinquent who wanted money."

"Didn't you see the news? They said the culprit didn't take anything from the guy."

"Yuri Lowell, right? I think he's in this course."

"Is that the guy with damn long hair? I heard half the girls want to date him.

"Really? The guy who's always sitting in the back?"

"He's the one who's always hanging out with Scifo."

"Seriously? Then let's ask him."

"Ask him what?"

"Huh..."

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted the conversation.

"As much as I appreciate the obvious concern you display towards one of your classmates, I don't think this is the right time to be discussing his case." Schwann said lightly. "Now if you allow me, I'll resume the lecture."

As he resumed his explanations, however, he sighed mentally. From what Judith had told him, Yuri was out of danger but would need to remain at the hospital for quite some time. He still could barely believe what had happened on that night.

It was late, he was out for a drink with colleagues, then on his way driving back home. And then at the corner of that street, that body lying in a pool of blood. A woman, he had thought at first. The shock had been harder when he had recognized Yuri.

Maybe he could pay him a visit. It was one of his students, after all. He could also start gathering information about the aggression, and lead his own investigation. How long had it been since the last time he had faced such a case? How long since he last found a body – or a corpse – lying in a dark corner of a street? A thrill ran down his spine. He shook his head mentally. No, no. He had retired from the job and only wanted to live the remaining of his life without any trouble.

And God only knew how long he had left.

* * *

><p>Despite that one event which had disrupted the peace of the town, life was going on pretty normally for most the inhabitants. The university was no exception. Naturally, Flynn's life was no exception either, save for the constant questions he kept receiving from his classmates and to which he merely gave the same answer: Yuri was fine, thank you for the concern.<p>

Rita was losing patience.

"Those idiots, if they want some news, they can just go to the hospital by themselves! This is getting way beyond annoying."

"This is the first time something like this happens. I guess it is normal that everyone wants to know." Estelle replied.

"No it's not! It's like everyone is actually proud that they know someone who was almost stabbed to death and are actually boasting about it!"

"Come on, you have to admit it's damn cool to have a mate who was stabbed like that!" Karol intervened. "I mean, as long as he's still alive." he added quickly as he saw Rita's death glare to him.

"That's how human psychology works, Rita." Flynn replied gloomily.

All four students were on their ways to the school's exit, and planning to pay Yuri a visit.

"Since when do you know about human psychology?" the brunette girl asked suspiciously, making Flynn chuckle.

"Just observing."

"Ah! Here's the bus to the hospital! Let's hurry!" Karol pointed at the bus stop.

"Wait, there's no need to take the bus." Flynn stopped him. "I've... called a chauffeur. The car's parked over there."

It was one of the few things he disliked doing, showing that he had means above the average citizen. If he had been alone, he wouldn't have bothered calling his chauffeur; but this time was different.

This time Estellise, Rita and Karol were accompanying him, and somehow Yuri's warning was still present in Flynn's mind. If Zagi was still around and intended to harm him, then there were chances that he'd want to target Rita and Karol as well, and maybe even Estellise; and Flynn didn't want to take any risk.

"A chauffeur? Really?" Karol asked with excitement. "Woah, that's so cool! So that's how you go to school every morning? I didn't know! Estelle, you have one too?"

"No, actually I walk to school." Flynn replied, slightly embarrassed, while the pink-haired girl shook her head as well. "I prefer to avoid having a chauffeur if possible."

"Why? It's so damn handy!"

"It can be convenient, indeed, but-" Estelle didn't have time to finish her sentence as she was interrupted by Rita:

"It makes you look like some snob?" she sneered, earning a sigh from Flynn and a faint chuckle from Estelle.

"Something like that. But since today we're going at the hospital, I assumed it'd be better if you were driven directly back to the orphanage after that."

"Oh come on, we're not 10 or something." Rita ranted.

"Who cares? It's so cool! A chauffeur!" Karol was now almost running to the car. "You should do that more often!"

"I'd like people to think of me as someone normal, as much as possible." the blonde boy replied.

"Hah! You've got high hopes." Rita laughed. "You know I just joined this school recently, and I've heard more about you than you can imagine. And I assure you most people don't think you're normal at all. Brain, look, physical aptitudes, musical talents, they say you're a freak with too many qualities to be human."

"Rita! That's harsh!" Karol protested, but the girl merely shrugged.

"There's nothing wrong with being a freak." she said.

"Considering you're one yourself, yeah..." Karol muttered. The acute pain on his head a second later made him regrets his words.

Flynn could do nothing but laugh at the scene.

"Yuri's lucky to have you as his friends."

The words had come out unexpectedly of his mouth, and the surprised looks he received from the two others made him cough of embarrassment.

"I-I mean, he must not get bored with you around."

"Hey, you're his friend too!" Karol replied. "And you too, Estelle!"

"A bit stuck-up, sure, but yeah, totally his friends." Rita nodded.

Again, Flynn could only laugh while Estelle made a feeble attempt at protesting about the 'stuck-up' part. The four of them soon reached the car, and a few minutes later, they were en route to the hospital. The trip took longer than expected due to traffic, but within half an hour, they finally crossed the door to Yuri's room.

They found the long-haired boy comfortably settled against a big pillow and eating compote, a thick blanket pulled over him. However, what the small group of students didn't expect was the presence of someone else in the room. Someone who was neither Yuri's colleague nor classmate.

"Sodia?" Flynn spoke out first, confused.

"Oh, Flynn! What a surprise to see you here." The brunette girl turned to him with a bright smile. In her hands were a notebook and a pen. "But your timing isn't really good, I was about to leave."

"I am also surprised to see you here, Sodia. For what purpose-"

"I came to ask Yuri about his assailant." she replied, tapping her notebook with her pen. "Whoever tried to harm him must be arrested as quickly as possible before there are any other victims. It's very fortunate that Yuri is alive, but others may not have the same luck."

There was a faint snort from Yuri which Karol and Rita didn't fail to hear, contrary to Sodia who went on:

"So I'm getting information."

"Why don't you leave the job to the police?" Rita asked, beating Flynn to it.

"Because everyone knows that the police are slow in that kind of investigation, and have a lot more to deal with. I have several people who can work on this much more quickly."

"But why are you doing this?" Flynn insisted, more and more confused. He wasn't going to mention in front of the others that she had been the one to warn him against Yuri, but the tone was suggestive enough for Sodia to let out a sigh.

"Obviously it's for you, Flynn. Yuri is your friend, therefore I'm also concerned about him as much as you do."

At that instant, Yuri choked rather loudly before clearing his throat.

"Sorry, the compote went down the wrong way. Don't mind me." he apologized.

"Hey be careful there. You survived a stab, we don't want you to die in a stupid way." Karol joked as he walked to the bed, followed by Rita and Estelle. Meanwhile, Flynn had motioned Sodia to follow him outside the room, which she did after bidding goodbye to the others, ignoring the frown on Yuri's face.

"Ah, here, before I forget." Karol began searching through his bag and picked out something which Yuri couldn't identify as it was entirely wrapped into an aluminium foil. "Pancakes, from Pia. She says to get better soon so you can move your lazy ass to the orphanage and say hi again."

"I'm quite sure she didn't put it that way." Yuri replied, taking off the foil and tasting the pancakes.

"Oh, hm... I also brought you something." Estelle intervened as she also produced a cupcake nicely wrapped in ribbons and metallic paper from her bag. "I didn't make it, unfortunately, but I hope you'll still like it." she added, giving the cupcake to Yuri with a faint smile. She tried not to blush when Yuri's fingers accidentally brushed against hers.

"Thanks! A chocolate one! Not sure I have the right to eat all this now, but who cares?" the long-haired boy proceeded with unwrapping the cake and shoved it in his mouth.

"Anyway, who was that chick earlier?" Rita asked out of the blue as she sat down on the bed's edge, soon imitated by the two others.

"Oh, her? You never saw her before? Hm, how to put that..." Yuri paused, his mouth still full.

"She's Sodia Verna." Estelle replied for him. "I heard she and Flynn are supposed to get engaged."

"Seriously?" Karol exclaimed. "He never told us that! You never did either, Yuri!"

"Why the hell would he?" Rita retorted in Yuri's stead. "He doesn't seem to appreciate her much."

"Is it that obvious?" Yuri asked sullenly, earning a snort of derision from the brown-haired girl.

"Oh come on, the way you reacted to her words was quite explicit. So anyway, what was she doing here? Is she one of your admirers?"

"Hell no!" Yuri replied immediately. "It's as she said. She came here for information. Don't ask me why, I have no clue."

"Oh, now that you mention it, you haven't said a word about who attacked you. Were you able to see his face or anything else?" Estelle inquired, her face suddenly serious.

Yuri sighed heavily.

"It's the third time I get this question today. First the cops, then that other girl and now you. This is getting tiring. Maybe I should write it down and stick it on my door or something."

"We're being serious here, Yuri." Rita said impatiently. "I don't know if you realize, but you could have _died_ there. So?"

Again, a new sigh, but lighter this time. Yuri definitely didn't want them to know that Zagi was back. He had already lied to the police by saying he couldn't remember any helpful detail about his assailant. It had been more difficult to convince Sodia as she had insisted quite strongly for him to remember something – which Yuri had found strange. She had given up only once Yuri had told her that he remembered the culprit to have blonde hair in the front and darker hair in the back. He hoped the description was precise enough to satisfy her and yet vague enough for no one to suspect Zagi.

It was his own problem, and he didn't want anyone involved in it.

"I don't remember." he finally replied. "It was too dark."

This time it was Rita's turn to sigh.

"Fine. But why the hell would he have attacked you? You told us he didn't even take your money or anything, right? So, why?"

"Beats me. Anyway, mind if we change the topic of conversation? It's starting to get a bit annoying."

"I understand you." Estelle nodded. "It'd certainly better for your recovery if we talked about more entertaining subjects. So, how long do the doctors plan to keep you here?"

"A week, they said. If the wound is closing well." Yuri replied.

"Oh, then we will be able to see you at school soon enough!" the pink-haired girl rejoiced, clapping her hands.

"Not sure about that. The docs will probably want me not to move around too much."

"So you'll use that as an excuse to skip school." Rita finished his thought for him.

"Exactly. Though I'll go back to work. Money is precious." Yuri nodded, ignoring Rita's snort of disdain.

"And what the hell is Flynn doing by the way? Still busy talking to his fiancée? Maybe he left with her?" Karol pondered. "It must be cool to have a girlfriend. I want one too!"

"Don't be stupid." Rita whacked him on the head. "He'll come back soon."

On the other side of the door, the atmosphere wasn't as pleasant as Karol believed.

"Now tell me why exactly you bothered coming to see Yuri." Flynn requested as politely as he could, though there was faint impatience in his tone.

"I told you that it's because I worry about you." Sodia replied with actual concern on her face. "I'll admit that I don't appreciate the fact that you still see him, but if you have chosen him as your friend, then I have no choice but to accept it. If this can reassure you, I'm not doing this for him, but for you."

Flynn wasn't far from saying that it didn't reassure him at all, but managed to control himself. He could barely believe that Sodia would accept Yuri so easily, and he could even less imagine what her reaction would be if she were to learn the truth about their relationship.

"I appreciate the concern, Sodia, but I hope you are not thinking of using this as a way to have me indebted to you." he went on, staring straight at her. The latter shook her head vehemently.

"Of course not! I wouldn't fall that low! I have to say I'm a bit offended that you could dare suggest such a thing. But I understand. Please rest assured that I'm really doing this because I care a lot about you." Sodia replied, her tone softening.

Before Flynn could reply anything, her phone rang, much to Flynn's relief for he was starting to feel very uncomfortable with the discussion. His attention was soon brought back to Sodia when he saw her face turning white, eyes ablaze with fury.

"What. Did. You. Say?" Her voice was kept low since they were in a hospital, but it wasn't hard to discern the anger hidden behind. "How did you manage to..." She paused, glancing at Flynn, then went on: "Not here. I'm at the hospital right now. Wait for me to come back. By then you'd better have a good explanation for this." she snapped before hanging up.

"What happened?" Flynn inquired.

"An internal problem. I need to leave immediately. I'm sorry Flynn, I'll talk to you later." Sodia replied before striding away.

As Flynn watched her leave, he pondered for a moment on how tough it had to be for her to manage her own branch of her parents' company. They were the same age, and yet Flynn had chosen to keep going to the university while she had preferred to take on her family's business as quickly as possible. Her choice was perhaps wiser, Flynn thought.

But university was fun. There was Estellise there, and Karol, and Rita... and Yuri. His heart started racing unconsciously at the thought of the long-haired male. Yuri was a sufficient enough reason for Flynn to enjoy university.

With that last thought in mind, he opened the door to Yuri's room and stepped inside. Upon his entering, he heard Yuri addressing him with that familiar mocking tone of his:

"So, sorted things out with your _girlfriend_ yet?"

Flynn flushed slightly, and the laughter coming from both Karol and Rita didn't particularly help. What was Yuri thinking, really? Did he find it so amusing to keep teasing him on Sodia while they were going out together?

"You didn't tell us you have a fiancée!" Karol exclaimed as Flynn pulled a chair to Yuri's bed and sat down. "How does it feel?"

"Karol, she's _not_ my fiancée." Flynn replied with a sigh. "But I believe we came here to see Yuri, not to talk about my life, didn't we?"

"But your life's so much more interesting, Flynn." Yuri counterattacked, smirking at the glare he received from the blonde boy.

The rest of the afternoon passed all too quickly, with Flynn and Yuri bickering over everything and nothing, and while Yuri looked apparently like he was enjoying himself, Flynn was obviously quite annoyed by the former's remarks. 'A married couple', Rita had commented, much to Karol and Estelle's amusement.

However, it was soon time for the small group to leave, as visiting hours were over. After a few wishes of good recovery and the promise to come back, they finally exited Yuri's room. On the way out, Flynn's mobile informed him of an incoming message.

'_Next time, come alone. I need my daily dose of you to recover quickly.'_ it read. Flynn blinked at the message before shaking his head and shoving the phone back into his pocket. He couldn't shake off the warm feeling spreading inside him though.

* * *

><p>Sodia still couldn't believe it. Zagi, escaped? And moreover, after killing a guard and seriously wounding another? How? She had ordered surveillance on him to be strict, so how did it happen?<p>

This was the worst possible outcome for the girl. Who knew what Zagi was up to now? Did he intend to finish his uncompleted job and kill Yuri? That was the most probable option. Naturally she had dispatched her own security unit to retrieve the man, but the latter could be anywhere now. She didn't dare inform the police for fear of their finding out that she was the origin of the incident. No matter her parents' influence, such a piece of news would create a scandal on the Vernas' name, and it was the last thing Sodia needed.

How had it come to this? The only thing she wished was to separate Flynn from that disturbance that was Yuri Lowell, and now events had taken a turn for the worst.

Zagi had to be captured as quickly as possible.

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, Flynn naturally skipped rehearsal with the school orchestra to visit Yuri – alone this time. The long-haired male didn't hide his satisfaction upon seeing him and greeted him with one of those rare gentle smiles Flynn only got a chance to see when there was no one else around.<p>

"When you didn't reply to my message yesterday I started thinking you were really upset." Yuri said, patting the spot next to him. As Flynn sat down at the designated place, he leant forward and pressed his lips against Yuri's, suddenly realizing how much he had come to like the gesture.

The kiss he gave Yuri was abnormally demanding, and he surprised himself by noticing how difficult it was for him to part from Yuri. It was the latter who gently put a hand on his cheek and slowly pulled back, letting their foreheads touch.

"A bit more and I'd think you want to kill me by asphyxiation." Yuri said softly.

"It's to compensate for yesterday." Flynn replied, slipping his hand over Yuri's. "And I'm still upset, you know."

"Why? Because the little missy went to visit me?"

"For saying she's my girlfriend in front of everyone, for playing along with the others when they wanted to know more about her, for saying that a princess like her would definitely be the perfect match for me, for-"

"OK, OK, I got it." Yuri cut him in as he leant back against his pillow. A small smirk appeared on his lips. "You know, it sounds to me as if you dislike her as much as I do."

"That is not the case, Yuri." Flynn replied with a sigh. "It's just that... I don't understand why you keep making all those insinuations while we're together, you and I. It's like you are completely ignoring that fact."

"Oh? Must I understand that you'd like me to admit publicly that I'm your boyfriend?" Yuri asked slyly.

"I didn't say that. I'm just wondering why you're doing it."

"I just like teasing you."

"Then I'd be grateful if you could find another topic than Sodia. The situation with her is already particularly delicate, I don't need you to pour some more salt."

"Alright, alright." Yuri gave up. "But damn, it's going to be hard finding something else to tease you about."

"This said, you still don't plan to tell anyone else about Zagi?" Flynn completely changed the topic, resulting in Yuri looking away, slightly annoyed.

"I told you, that's something I must deal with by myself. The fewer involved people, the better."

"That's not reasonable. You can't deal with this on your own."

"Wait until I recover completely and you'll see."

"Yuri, you're being stubborn."

"Right back at you."

"Yuri, look at me."

After a second of reluctance, Yuri complied and turned his head to the blonde male who slipped a hand in the long, dark hair.

"Listen, I don't want you to get hurt again. That's why I think the more people know, the safer it'll be for you." Flynn stated.

"I was just careless at that time! It won't happen again." Irritation started tainting Yuri's voice. "I don't want Pia or the others to worry or anything. You alone is already enough to deal with."

Flynn tensed up at those words.

"Does it mean that you regard my concern for you as a burden?" he asked, trying not to sound too hurt.

"No, that's not it!" Yuri replied impatiently. "Damn it, Flynn, that's basically to avoid reactions like yours that I don't want people to know."

"Don't be so stubborn!" the other boy suddenly snapped. "You don't know what Zagi has up his sleeve. The next time you are careless, we may only get to worry about how to bury you!"

"I'm not gonna die!" Yuri retorted, now clearly pissed. "Now that I know what he's capable of, I can-"

"You can what? Yuri, you don't even know where he is." Flynn cut him in dryly. "And even if you did, you are in no state to do anything whatsoever. The wound you received won't heal in a week or two."

"No kidding. Given how it's hurting all day long, I think I know quite well it won't recover any time soon. I'm not that stupid."

"In that case, you should also realize that you can't do anything for now."

"Don't speak as if you knew me. You've no idea what I..." Yuri's angry voice faded as the boy looked away, furious.

He had avoided spouting unnecessary details at the last second, but the feeling of Flynn's confused look on him still made him rage inwardly. Great, now either Flynn was going to take him for a fool, or he was going to get very suspicious. Or both.

Silence filled the room, only broken by the faint ticking sound of the clock. None of the boys moved or spoke during what seemed to be an eternity. Eventually Flynn let out a small sigh and stood up. A quick glance from Yuri showed him the hurt expression on the blonde's face and a sentiment of guilt immediately swept over him, yet he chose to remain silent.

"I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have." Flynn finally spoke out with a resigned tone. "I should let you have some rest instead of yelling at you." He paused, as if expecting a reply from Yuri, but as none was heard, he merely left the room with a last 'get well soon'.

As soon as the door closed, Yuri cursed, though he wasn't sure if it was at Flynn or at himself. Why had that idiot even apologized? If any, it should have been Yuri who should have done so! But of course, his stubbornness had taken over, preventing him from calling Flynn back, and now the latter was probably really pissed.

Maybe it was actually better this way. Maybe it was better if Flynn kept his distances with him. A vague and unpleasant feeling surfaced in him at that thought. _'Am I getting too attached?_' Yuri bit his lower lip. It wasn't in his habits to lie at himself, therefore he didn't even try to deny the strong feelings he was bearing towards Flynn, but it didn't prevent him from blaming himself for being so careless. If he had stuck to his original principle not to get too close to anyone, then things would be much easier.

Karol and Rita were the only exceptions. Those two idiots had chosen to stay with Yuri, ever since they had met at the orphanage. But Flynn hadn't chosen, had he? At least, if Yuri hadn't insisted on getting close, then maybe Flynn and he would merely be acquaintances now.

'_But what's done is done. Get over with it.'_ And suddenly, the solution appeared very clearly in front of Yuri's eyes. He had his own problems to settle, and he didn't want to lose Flynn. Therefore the quicker his problems were solved, the quicker he'd get Flynn back.

Yuri grabbed his mobile on the table next to him and opened his contacts list. There were only a dozen numbers: a few from the pub, Rita, Karol, Flynn, Estelle, and another number. In the name field was only a 'Y.'. Yuri had kept that number just in case while wishing he'd never have to dial it again, but now here he was, his finger ready to press on the button.

Hesitation seized him. No, the decision was too rushed. He had to think more carefully about it. Calling that person would mean to plunge back into what he had sworn to forget, to recall those few years he'd never boast about, and Yuri wasn't sure he was ready for that now.

He put the phone back to its original place. He could wait at least until he was out of the hospital.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N:** **Well, here's another chapter. I know Yuri doesn't look as cool or badass as in the game, but I'm trying to have the characters not too perfect (even if it's not obvious for Flynn yet). And updates may get a bit slower due to school+time to think about how to develop the plot well. Thanks for understanding!**


	21. November 14th to 20th

**November 14****th**** to 20****th**

From the window, Yuri watched as another snowflake landed noiselessly on the already thick layer covering the streets. Today was Monday, a day when students were normally at school. Still, to anyone accusing Yuri of skipping school, the latter would merely reply that he was following the doctor's instructions to "take it easy during the next two weeks".

Gulping down his fourth cup of coffee, his eyes wandered outside again to the few people brave enough to stand the sudden wave of cold that had struck the country. Apparently the coming winter was going to be harsher than usual, the forecasts predicted snow until January at least; not that Yuri minded. He liked cold and snowy winters, because seeing the whole city covered in white somehow gave him the impression of a pure, taintless city.

Ironically enough, the past four years had been particularly warm, and snow had barely showed up for less than a month. As if to match the four years Yuri had spent dealing with not so clean business. A bitter chuckle escaped his lips at the thought, though his face quickly darkened as another thought came nagging him again. From those four years, one thing remained: a phone number.

Putting down the cup on his desk, Yuri grabbed his phone and walked to his bed where he sat down unceremoniously with a thud. A wince of pain immediately followed and his free hand reached his wound on the side. Since the latter had stopped hurting him continuously, Yuri tended to forget about it, except when making too abrupt movements. The long-haired male cursed silently as he settled a bit more comfortably – and carefully – on the mattress and scrolled down the contact list on his phone.

A twinge of guilt seized him as he scrolled past Flynn's number. Yuri hadn't had any opportunity to talk to the other boy since his last visit at the hospital, and despite repeating over and over again to himself that keeping his distances was the best choice for now, it seemed that another part of him enjoyed reminding him quite cruelly how much he actually wanted to see Flynn. Shaking his head, Yuri kept scrolling.

His eyes landed on the last name which was actually a mere letter. Yuri had chosen to keep a mere 'Y.' instead of the full name, just in case someone had the incongruous idea of sneaking into his stuff, even though he doubted any normal people would even know of that person. The fact remained that Yuri was now more than reluctant to have his name associated with that person; and today he wasn't really sure whether to thank or curse his guts for having kept the number.

Yeager, leader of the Leviathan's Claw, one of the two organizations that ruled the underground world, the other one being Altosk. The rules, no matter which organization you belonged to, were identical and easy: owed favours always had to be paid with other favours, prejudice called for revenge and traitors were disposed of. Most of the business rested on black market, information trade and protection. The protection of the Claw was granted to anyone who asked for it, provided that the requester proved any usefulness with money or skills, or both. Altosk, led by Don Whitehorse, was more or less the same, except that they had taken upon an extra task: keeping the lower quarters of the city under control, which implied getting rid of any excessive troublemakers. A balance of power was kept with the presence of both Altosk and the Leviathan's Claw. It was easy.

How Yuri had ended up in their claws – he almost hit himself at the bad pun – had merely been a sequence of more or less random events. At sixteen, he had left the orphanage with nothing more than Pia's weekly allowances which had allowed him to get a cheap accommodation in the lower quarters for a few months. Odd jobs had been his means of keeping his stomach under control, even if Yuri remembered days when food had been rare. The lower quarters had been a good choice at first, for they were big and the most populated, and those who lived there were either families which couldn't afford the high fees of a crèche for their children; or old, isolated persons who were more than happy to have someone help them with daily tasks such as shopping and cooking.

Cooking. After he had run out of money for his rent, it had been his cooking skills that had saved him, as an old woman had kindly offered him a place to sleep in exchange for keeping her company and making tasty meals. At that time, Yuri had considered himself lucky. However, luck was never meant to last and after the old woman had passed away, Yuri had found himself in a rather delicate situation. A full year had passed since he had left the orphanage. Oh, he had thought of going back there, naturally, but as long as that stubborn Pia refused to kick Zagi out, there was no way Yuri could return to that place.

It was at that moment that his path crossed with Yeager, or more accurately, with two of his protégés. Gauche and Droite, they had called themselves. Of the Leviathan's Claw. They had been observing him for several months, as they always did with every newcomer to the lower quarters. The amount of information in their possession about Yuri had made the latter freeze on the spot, but the two girls had sounded reassuring. He was resourceful, but he was in a pinch, wasn't he? The Leviathan's Claw could help him, in exchange for small favours.

Yuri hadn't hesitated long, though today he wished he had. But what choice did he have at that time? The deal didn't sound so bad, and truth be told, Yuri had been grateful for their help. During four years, he had learnt the ways of the underground, the ways of the Claw and of Altosk. He had learnt to heed Yeager's every piece of advice, and though the man had looked strange at first, Yuri still had the memory of a man who took the protection of his subordinates very seriously. Of course, he hadn't been stupid enough not to realize that most of his activities weren't quite legal, but they had never crossed the crime line.

The reason was easy to understand: it was much handier to work when the police weren't sneaking around too deeply, and though they would regularly patrol in the lower quarters to catch a few troublemakers, they tolerated the presence of Altosk and the Claw as long as the peace in the city wasn't threatened.

In four years, Yuri had fought his place within the Claw well enough to become one of Yeager's favourite subordinates, but as time had passed, a sort of weariness had started taking over him. Maybe it had been tiredness of staying in that world, or the gradual longing to start from scratch again; in any case Yuri had slowly come to realize that he couldn't lead his whole life like that. Tolerated or not, most of his actions were still illegal, and the risk for him to be caught for real was definitely not close to zero. What would Pia say if she could see him like that? And hadn't he fallen much lower than Zagi by now with his actions? It had been those thoughts which had convinced him the most to quit.

Of course doubts had seized him. Would he be considered a traitor if he requested to leave? Would Yeager favour him enough to let him go? The questions had gnawed at him for weeks until he had finally found the courage to talk. Even now, Yuri still had an unpleasant memory of his last encounter with Yeager.

_Dark, piercing eyes which reflected no kindness._

"_Are you really serious about leaving the Claw? About leaving the family which has supported you all these years?" Yeager asked with a cold voice._

_Yuri nodded, schooling his face into what he hoped was confidence._

"_You do realize that once you leave, you'll lose all favours from us, don't you? I won't consider you a traitor because you have done a lot for us all this time, but do not expect any warm welcome if you ever need us again."_

_Yuri nodded again. This time, Yeager sighed, dropping all severity from his face._

"_Is there no way for me to convince you to stay?" he asked. "Gauche and Droite are going to be quite disappointed once they learn about your wish to leave."_

"_I'm sorry. I know all of you did a lot for me, and I'll always be grateful for that, but I feel like this is not the place I'm supposed to be." Yuri replied, knowing perfectly well that his argument was but an empty shell._

"_And where do you think you should be? You have no relatives and you cut ties with the woman who raised you. Do you actually imagine that you can suddenly resume a 'normal life' after working so many years for us?"_

"_I can try. I've managed well before you found me."_

"_This is not the same, you fool. You managed in the lower quarters, but now you're talking about living in the core of the city itself. People aren't as kind there, Yuri, believe me. They won't accept someone like you, and even if you try to hide your connections to us, someday they will show up, one way or another."_

"_I've made my decision." Yuri replied stubbornly. "I've already found a job there."_

_Though Yeager tried to keep an impassive expression, Yuri knew that the last piece of information was new to his boss. A secret pride swelled inside of him._

"_Very well." The man said icily. "I see there's no use trying to make you change your mind. I thought you were smarter than this and I can only hope you'll never come to regret your decision. Do remember that we won't welcome you with open arms if you ever show yourself here again."_

"_I'll remember that."_

Yeager would probably be sneering of victory if he could see Yuri right now, unable to decide whether to risk getting in touch with him again or deal with his problems alone. But Flynn had been right. In his current state, Yuri couldn't hope to achieve anything by himself; at least, he needed to heal entirely if he wanted to confront Zagi again – prepared, this time. The only problem was that he couldn't afford waiting for his body to be in perfect shape again. The Claw was his best chance at finding Zagi and disposing of him. They had eyes and ears everywhere, and with a bit of luck, it would only be a matter of a few days before he was caught.

But Yuri had yet to decide what 'dispose of' would imply.

Casting away the last bits of hesitation, he pressed the 'call' button.

* * *

><p>"Stop."<p>

At the command, Flynn's arm holding the bow froze and the whole room fell silent. All the students glanced at the teacher except Flynn who knew already what the latter was going to say.

"Flynn, you missed a time. Again."

The other students barely hid the surprise on their faces, giving almost shocked gazes at the blonde male. Flynn, missing a whole time for the fourth time in the same piece?

"I'm sorry, miss Khroma." he apologized with not much conviction.

"You're obviously not focused today." the fine woman replied with a soft smile. "I advise you to go home for today and rest your mind. Come back to the rehearsals once you feel better, but don't forget the coming concert. It'd be a pity if you couldn't perform then."

Swallowing back his frustration, Flynn nodded, stood up from his place and left the orchestra silently, under the questioning and puzzled looks of the other members. His gaze crossed with Karol's and he noticed the younger boy giving him a reassuring smile. Really, it wasn't hard at all for anyone to guess that there was something on Flynn's mind, even if no one actually knew the main cause of his concerns. Putting his violin back into its case, Flynn glanced at his watch and pondered for a few seconds if paying Yuri a visit would be a smart idea.

Learning from Karol that Yuri had been discharged from the hospital had roused a feeling of snub – why hadn't Yuri told him himself? – but now he was trying to ignore it for the sake of their relationship, if there was still one. The thought that Yuri could have considered him as a mere, temporary object of amusement kept bugging him, and every time a knot would tie his stomach.

Flynn quickly dismissed the thought. He had to be understanding. Yuri was probably having a hard time as well, and he most likely didn't have the habit of relying on others for help. If Flynn could make him understand the value of friends, then perhaps things would get better. Making up his mind, he exited the school and headed for Yuri's place, despite the cold. It had stopped snowing but his feet sank deeply in the coat of snow at each step. On his way there, he stopped by a bakery, hoping that the pastries he'd bring would be a good excuse enough to stay at Yuri's place for a bit.

It was a matter of minutes before he reached the entrance of Yuri's building. Noticing that the door was open, he kicked the snow off his shoes, entered and climbed to the last floor. As he was about to knock on Yuri's door, he heard the boy's voice faintly on the other side and the first words he caught made him frown:

"... pay if it's money you want. I just need him found and dealt with quickly."

Flynn stood by the door, clearly troubled. Was Yuri referring to Zagi? Most likely. He felt rather bad eavesdropping like that, but he was also quite sure that Yuri would never tell him anything about his plans towards Zagi.

"... Yes, I remember... Yes, I know the rules of the Claw!... Yes... I-I'm ready to do whatever it takes in exchange for your help."

Who was Yuri talking to? Certainly not the police, from what Flynn could hear. What was that claw Yuri talked about? And that sudden lack of confidence in his tone was quite unusual. There was a longer pause, and at first Flynn thought that the conversation was over, but then Yuri's voice rose again:

"... Tonight, 10. Fine."

The faint sound of footsteps indicated Flynn that the conversation had been put to an end. What was he supposed to do now? Knock and pretend he had heard nothing? Surely Yuri wasn't so stupid, especially with such timing. Yet Flynn could definitely not ignore the fact that Yuri was probably getting himself into some kind of trouble. Whoever he had asked help from couldn't possibly be a friend, given Yuri's uneasy tone. And what was going to happen at 10 pm?

Flynn bit his lip, uncertain of the next course of action. He hadn't come here with the intention of messing up the already delicate relationship there was between both of them; at the same time, he wouldn't forgive himself for leaving Yuri on his own out of pure cowardice.

He knocked. A few seconds later, the door opened and Flynn didn't have any trouble reading annoyance, then surprise and finally reservation successively on Yuri's face. The blonde male smiled with what he hoped looked like a natural smile and greeted the other boy:

"Good afternoon, Yuri. I was told you got out of the hospital so I thought I'd pay you a visit. I brought some cakes." he added quickly as he showed the small bag he was carrying.

To his relief, Yuri's gaze softened before a faint smirk appeared on his lips:

"I hope you weren't the one who baked them?" he asked.

"No, I wasn't. It wouldn't be very polite from me to try and poison you after you barely got discharged." Flynn replied, chuckling.

"In that case you are allowed to come in." Yuri said, inviting Flynn in. "Want some coffee? You look quite frozen."

"Do I? Well, I guess the fact that it's -5°C outside must have something to with it." Flynn replied as he removed his gloves, scarf and coat and put them on a chair nearby. "And yes, a cup of coffee will be more than welcome."

"Sit on the bed. I'll bring cups and plates for the cake."

There was no kiss, no hug, nothing. Flynn dismissed the faint disappointment.

A minute later, Yuri put a tray with the aforementioned items on the bedside table and settled himself next to Flynn, a plate of cake in his hands.

"How is your wound?" the blonde boy asked, warming up his hands on the cup of coffee.

"Healing quite well. It doesn't hurt too much so I guess it's fine. The doc wants me to come back to the hospital in two weeks for a check-up, though. In the meantime I'm supposed not to move around too much."

"That's good to hear. So we won't get to see you at school for the next two weeks?"

Yuri shrugged. "That's the one advantage at being stabbed. Oh, you picked a nice chocolate cake." he added, his mouth full. Flynn wanted to believe that Yuri was acting normally, and yet the distant tone the latter had used didn't help him much.

"How about your job?"

"Ah, I guess I'll make an exception for that. I can't afford three weeks with no income."

"If that's the only problem, I can cover for whatever expenses you have. Your recovery comes first."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather work by myself." Yuri replied, his voice suddenly hesitant. "I... As much as possible, I prefer not to owe anyone anything."

"You wouldn't owe me anything, Yuri." Flynn retorted, gazing straight at Yuri. "I'd be more than glad to help you in any way I can."

"Thanks, but hey, don't worry. I'm tougher than that. It's not like my job is particularly exhausting." Yuri went on with a lighter tone.

"Alright. But if you need something, don't hesitate to ask." Flynn replied, slightly disappointed. Yuri was willing to ask for help from some probably shady people and yet he refused Flynn's support. Taking a sip from his cup, he pondered on whether to talk about the conversation he had overheard earlier.

In the meantime, Yuri cleaned up his plate without another word and put it back on the tray before sitting back, leaning against the wall. A small sigh escaped his lips.

"What's wrong?" Flynn inquired.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Various stuff."

"Yuri... If it's about Zagi, then I keep thinking that you shouldn't handle this on your own. This could be dangerous and you can't-"

"Flynn, listen." Yuri cut him in. He then turned to Flynn, a crease between his brows. "I'm grateful for your concern and all, but let me repeat this once again: it's my own business, and I don't want you to meddle in it." he declared, dead serious.

The blonde boy stared at him for a few seconds.

"You're asking me to leave you alone in this mess." he finally said. "How can you expect me to do that?"

"Because this doesn't concern you, and I don't need more people mingling into it." Yuri replied, his tone hardening. "What could you do anyway? It's not like you have the power to find Zagi and send him back to jail in a second."

Flynn looked away and bit his lip. Yuri was partly right. Partly, because Flynn actually _had_ the power to do such a thing. In theory. His family had enough influence for that. Now the main obstacle – and not the smallest one – was how he could use his name without his parents realizing it. If at least their business had anything to do with law or justice, he could have used it as an excuse; unfortunately the Scifo were merely the owners of one of the world's top companies in oil, gas and renewable energies. Sodia, being in the pharmaceutical department, couldn't be of much help either – not that Flynn would have wanted to owe her any favour.

"It doesn't mean you have to take care of this all alone." he replied, barely convinced by his own words.

"Maybe not, but I also don't need people who can't help me." Yuri let out with disdain.

Deep inside, the dark-haired male was struggling against himself in order to keep a cold and detached voice, but each word he pronounced seemed like a trial to him. He desperately wanted to keep Flynn by his side; however, he couldn't afford dragging him into what could turn into a hazardous chase. For now Zagi had proven that he was willing to kill with no hesitation. It had gone far beyond children's quarrels.

"You'd only get in the way." he added.

_Right. Look at me with those hurt eyes of yours._

"And besides, I know a few people who could actually help me."

_Ah yes. That typical puzzlement whenever you're upset. You're too predictable, Flynn. Now ask me who they are._

"Who? You said you wanted to deal with this by yourself."

_And of course, that half-repressed angry tone. My dear Flynn, anger is still the one emotion you always fail to hide._

"Some acquaintances."

_You're not satisfied with this answer, are you?_

"Whom you were talking to earlier?"

_Bang. I was right to think you may have heard me._

"Eavesdropping now? That doesn't sound like you at all."

"It wasn't on purpose. But don't change the topic. Who are they?"

"Honestly, it's none of your business. I don't have to report to you every person I know." Yuri replied harshly. "And it seems that you misunderstood something. I don't know if you thought that you are some kind of knight and I'm the damsel in distress, but if that's the case, then get that stupid idea out of your head. I've managed all those years pretty well by myself, and it's not some filthy rich kid who's gonna teach me how to live. You can't help me, so I don't need you. If you have nothing new to tell me, I suggest you don't waste more of my time – and yours. Surely you must have plenty of other stuff to do beside annoying me?"

The last answer triggered the final act. Flynn stood up abruptly, clearly offended, and stared at Yuri with a mix of anger and disappointment. It took a few seconds for words to come out, but in the end the only thing the blonde boy replied was:

"I see. I guess I was probably wrong about you. Thank you for showing me who you really are."

The seconds that separated those last words from the moment when the door of Yuri's studio was slammed shut could have almost been counted on one hand.

Yuri let out a loud sigh and leant his head back against the wall, closing his eyes.

"Shit." It had been tougher than what he had believed. But at least now he didn't have to worry about Flynn anymore.

Strangely enough, the thought definitely didn't comfort him at all.

* * *

><p>Flynn was a mess of rage and fury and the whole snow of the world wouldn't have been enough to cool him down. The taxi driver had made an attempt at conversing, but Flynn's icy response had been enough to convince him that it was a better idea to shut up.<p>

The blonde male still couldn't believe how much of a fool he had been to believe that Yuri could have held a genuine interest in him. Apparently he must have thought it fun to seduce a 'filthy rich kid' and then dump him afterwards. So Yuri had been playing all along. And he had played well. All the time they had spent together had felt real enough for Flynn to be completely tricked.

Too real, actually. So real that doubt flashed through Flynn's mind. Was it really possible for someone to pretend that well? From what he could remember, Yuri had always looked quite pleased in his company. Maybe he had actually enjoyed some parts of their short relationship, after all. If Flynn had been in a cooler mood, he may have believed it; yet right now he could only shake his head at his own credulity.

Furthermore, the fact that Yuri had messed up dramatically with his personal life made the whole matter much more difficult to digest. It was because of Yuri that he had turned Sodia down, it was because of Yuri that his well-planned future had crumbled to pieces, it was because of Yuri that he had started working hard on projects to become independent.

All for nothing.

No, not quite. Flynn was going to keep working hard, for himself, to prove to his parents that he was strong enough to stand on his own and that he didn't need anyone to write his future for him. There was still a long way until his goals were reached, but he wouldn't forgive himself if he were to give up now.

At least, that short adventure with Yuri wouldn't have been completely useless.

Strangely enough, the knot in his stomach didn't loosen up much at the thought.

* * *

><p>10.30 pm. Still no one in sight in the narrow and badly lit street in the lower quarters. Yuri swallowed back his impatience, knowing fairly well that Yeager was making him wait out of sheer amusement. Half of Yuri's face was hidden behind a thick scarf, and the warm coat he was wearing was preventing him from being completely frozen; still, it wasn't a pleasant wait.<p>

Finally, a voice rose behind him:

"Good evening, Yuri. Glad to see you again."

From the darkest end of the street, two silhouettes soon appeared and Yuri didn't have any trouble identifying the two girls walking to him, their faces almost identical save for the hair, pale green on one and dark pink on the other one.

"Oh, if it isn't Gauche and Droite!" Yuri greeted as naturally as he could. The sole street lamp lit the girls' smiling faces. The smiles didn't reassure Yuri that much. "How have you been doing all this time?"

"Better than you, I guess." Gauche replied.

"At least we weren't stabbed by an insane guy seeking revenge." Droite added.

"That was just bad luck." Yuri shrugged.

"You got softer, Yuri. A year ago, whoever attacked you would end up in a pretty bad shape." Gauche went on.

"I got careless. That won't happen again."

"We hope so, for your own sake." Droite said. "Anyway, we have a message from Yeager. He said that if you want us to find Zagi for you, you'll have to be ready to pay back the favour at any time he requests. Should you fail to keep your end of the bargain... well, you know what happens."

"What exactly does he want from me?" Yuri asked.

"For now, nothing since Zagi hasn't been found yet. But you should expect to get back to work once we get a grip on him."

"By 'get back to work', you mean-"

"We hope for you that you haven't forgotten too much about everything you've learnt from Yeager those past years."

Yuri gritted his teeth, despite having expected the outcome. So Yeager wanted him to work for him again. Though he was in no position to argue, he didn't feel comfortable agreeing to the deal so easily. He had a life as a student, a part-time job, friends, Pia... he tried not to think of Flynn. Later, when everything was settled, he'd go back to Flynn. If the latter still accepted him.

Apparently, his hesitation was visible, for Droite went on:

"Don't worry too much. You know Yeager, and he's not a cruel man. Normally, after one equivalent favour you'd have been out of your debt, but since you left us despite Yeager's warning, he'll expect you to repay the Claw with something bigger. But once you're done with it, you'll be clean again. Consider yourself a normal customer. Well, not exactly normal, but something like that."

"He'd let me go that easily?" Yuri asked sceptically.

"Who said it's going to be easy?" Gauche asked back. "Requesting our help after leaving is a big deal, and you'll have to be ready to pay a higher price than usual."

"You aren't giving me much choice."

"Of course we are. You can choose to refuse our deal and we'll pretend this conversation never existed. Naturally, it may become harder for you to retrieve Zagi."

Yuri forced a laugh. "Yeah, let's call it an option. Well, I made my mind before coming here. I know the rules of the Claw, and I'll follow them. But just make sure you find the bastard before someone else is hurt."

"That will be a child's game." Droite replied with a grin. "Yeager will be much pleased with your answer. Now if you'll excuse us, we'll go report to him now."

"It was a pleasure seeing you again, Yuri." Gauche added.

It was a matter of second before both girls vanished from Yuri's sight. Now the only thing left for him was to wait.

* * *

><p>Flynn frowned as he saw the name of the person who had just sent him an email. Raven Schwann. Flynn had never had any class with him, so why? The subject field was blank, increasing Flynn's curiosity. He opened the email and read the extremely short message:<p>

'_Dear Mr Scifo,_

_As Mr Lowell's friend, I'd be very grateful if you could come to my office tomorrow at noon and take the lecture notes of the classes your friend has missed recently._

_Sincerely,_

_Raven Schwann'_

The request by itself held nothing strange; yet Flynn couldn't help but frown as he read the message again. He started typing a reply, then hesitated as he remembered that he was no longer Yuri's friend now. Well, he could always give the notes to Karol who'd hand them to Yuri.

The next day, he knocked at the door of Raven Schwann's office and waited for the answer before stepping in. The middle-aged man greeted him with a smile:

"Ah! Mr Scifo, come in. Please close the door behind you and take a seat." he gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

Flynn frowned mentally at the invitation. Wasn't Schwann simply going to give him a few papers? Apparently his silent question reflected well on his face, for Schwann chuckled before speaking:

"Ah yes, I hope you do have a few minutes to spare as well, since I'd like to inquire about how Mr Lowell is faring."

"Oh, of course, though I fear there isn't much to say." Flynn replied as he sat down. "Yuri has been discharged from the hospital, and he's supposed to go back there in two weeks for a check-up. For now he's resting at home, as instructed by his doctor."

"I see. Any news about the culprit? Did the police say anything?"

"Nothing that I've heard of."

Raven nodded distractedly to himself. "I figured as much. Having a student stabbed for no apparent reason is quite a rare case here, and the police are very slow to react. Your friend really has no idea why and who attacked him?"

"...I-He told me he doesn't know." Flynn replied, but seeing the teacher narrowing his eyes, he knew that the faint hesitation in his tone had betrayed him.

"This is an important matter. He could have died. Well, I guess you must wondering why I'm insisting like this since I'm not even a relative of his, but he's still one of my students, and it's completely understandable to be confused when facing such a situation. That's why I'm asking again: are you certain there isn't a single detail you or Yuri remember and which can help identify the culprit?"

Flynn lowered his gaze, pretending to search his memory while he was actually considering what to reply. Raven Schwann was a mere teacher, what could he do if Flynn told him the truth? At the same time, there was nothing to lose by telling him. Maybe, as an adult, he could even convince Yuri to stop acting stupidly. Flynn couldn't help but feel that the man sitting in front of him looked much more resourceful that what he let appear. It was perhaps due to that tempered look in his eyes along with that aura of self-confidence mixed with fake carelessness.

It was at that moment that Flynn remembered a quite important detail: he wasn't supposed to worry about Yuri anymore, as the latter had clearly made him understood that he was a hindrance. Flynn's fists clench unconsciously at the thought. What did he owe Yuri? The latter had brought him more trouble than anything else, and Flynn was determined to dismiss that short episode of his life from his mind as quickly as possible.

Still... No matter how much Yuri had deceived him, the fact remained that a person's life was most certainly at stake, and Flynn knew he'd regret it if he decided to simply ignore that fact. Looking up at Raven again, he finally spoke:

"Actually, there is something you may want to know..."

* * *

><p>"<em>Hello Raven."<em>

"Ahh, my dear Judy, how pleasant it is to hear your lovely voice tonight!"

"_Is there something I can do for you? I guess you haven't phoned me just for my voice."_ Judith chuckled.

"You underestimate the power of your voice, my dear." Raven replied charmingly, but his tone soon turned serious. "Anyway, today I had a small talk with Flynn Scifo about Yuri Lowell's case, and you'll never guess what he told me."

"_I'm listening."_

"Apparently the one who stabbed the kid is an acquaintance of his who seems to hold a grudge from the time they were living together at an orphanage."

"_That's a serious grudge, if that acquaintance went as far as to try to kill Yuri."_

"And it's not the best part of the story. Flynn mentioned that he overheard Yuri talking on the phone about the rules of the Claw."

"_The rules of the- Raven, don't tell me-"_

"I'm quite sure you must have an idea of what he meant. I just need to confirm it myself."

There was a second of silence before Judith spoke again:

"_Raven, it sounds completely unrealistic for Yuri to be involved with the Leviathan's Claw. Maybe Flynn misheard."_

"That's what I thought too, but it doesn't hurt to do a little background check."

"_It's been a long time since I last heard you talking about investigations. Missing some action?"_

"You can say that."

"_Be careful, Raven. You've left that world a long time ago, and you told me yourself that you prefer your current life as a teacher far better."_

"Not that long ago! You make me sound older than I actually am." Raven pretended to sound offended. He heard another chuckled.

"_Right. So you plan to get in touch again with Alexei?"_

"The police? Nah. I already owe quite a lot to Alexei, I don't want to increase my debt towards him. Since the Leviathan's Claw is apparently involved, I was more thinking of asking the Don."

"_Oh. So you want to dig directly underground, don't you? Well, if that's the case, why are you telling me this?"_

"Another opinion is always welcome. And I thought that you may be interested in joining me."

"_Well, even if you keep pretending that you'd rather spend a quiet life with no trouble, I know you well enough to tell that you're getting bored. So I won't be the one to stop you. And though the idea of joining you is appealing, I'm afraid my duties are keeping me too busy. However, I'm interested in anything you'll have found. Also, just a warning: several years have passed, you can't be sure that nothing has changed during that time. Make sure that you're still in the Don's favours. And... there's still that matter with Yeager... If the Leviathan's Claw is really involved, you may not-"_

"Yeah, yeah, I know. About the Don, there shouldn't be any problem on that side. He remembers his friends well. As for Yeager, what can I say? This story belongs to the past."

"_If you say so."_

"Well, my lovely Judy, thank you for your concern. I'll keep you informed if I find anything interesting."

"_Alright. Let's hope it's not something too serious."_

As Raven hung up, melancholy flashed in his eyes for a second at the reminiscence of that 'matter with Yeager'. A single name escaped his lips silently as the smiling face of a woman painted in his mind.

"Casey..."

A faint smile soon adorned his lips, though. It had been so long since he had last chatted with Don Whitehorse.

* * *

><p>The end of the week arrived quickly, with no news from Yeager whatsoever, which started to make Yuri worried. Was Zagi hiding so well? Or was Yeager deliberately taking his sweet time as payback?<p>

There were also a few other topics of concern for him: his friends. Karol and Rita had dropped by during the week to give him some lecture notes on Flynn's behalf. Karol had naturally asked if the two of them had gotten in a fight; and while he had taken Yuri's negative answer with a satisfied nod, Rita had narrowed her eyes with suspicion. Estelle had phoned him for news and hadn't seemed to suspect anything.

Yuri had to act as naturally as he could in order not to raise too many questions, and yet the memory of his last talk with Flynn kept nagging him ceaselessly. He simply couldn't forget the hurt look in those sapphire eyes, or the contained anger in his voice as he left. But it had been the best choice, Yuri repeated to himself for the hundredth time. He'd simply need to go and apologize to Flynn once everything was over.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: And there you have some of Yuri's past. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! **


	22. November 21st to 26th

**November 21****st ****to 26****th**

Raven drummed his fingers on the bar, next to his empty glass. Glancing at his watch, he suppressed a yawn. 9 pm was still early, but having to wait for someone for almost an hour with nothing else to do but stare at a glass could make anyone fall asleep in a matter of minutes. Especially when the pub was so quiet, despite being quite full. From time to time, a small laugh or the rattling of a chair would break the calm atmosphere. Though not whispering, the customers there were keeping their voices low. A few of them had glanced at Raven at the beginning, but none had approached him.

Raven had tried to recognize familiar faces, unsuccessfully. Only six years had passed, yet it felt like a few decades for him. For all the people here were involved in Altosk, either because they needed punctual services from the organization or because they were regular informants; and the shabby pub was located in the lower quarters to prevent any undesirable visitors from stepping in accidentally. The pub belonged to Altosk and its purpose was double: it was a gathering point for the people who wanted to spend a quiet evening, and an information centre.

A man dressed in a dark brown coat sat silently next to Raven. None of them uttered a word during the next few minutes, until the man finally shifted on his seat and spoke:

"The Don is waiting. Follow me."

Raven's lips curled into a faint smile. He followed the man to a back door behind the bar and into a passage leading upstairs. The sight of the stairs stirred up memories in him, from a time when he would use that passage on a daily basis. The two men walked along a well-lit corridor and soon reached a white door. Even the door had remained the same, Raven mused. Indistinct noises could be heard through it, and as the man opened it, chatters, laughs and clatters of glasses filled Raven's ears.

The reception room hadn't changed at all, save for some extra paintings which were now decorating the pale grey walls. The atmosphere here was as warm as it was unwelcoming in the pub. Around twenty people of both genders were sitting at tables of two or three, chatting and drinking. All of them were either people who had lost their place in the surface world, or were born in the lower quarters and had no family waiting for them anymore. Don Whitehorse had welcomed all of them – under the condition that they worked for Altosk in a satisfying way.

Familiar faces were mixed with new ones, Raven noticed. As soon as he stepped in, they turned to him and a few exclamations were heard. Silence fell on the room as he was led to a big table in one of the corners, where comfortable armchairs were waiting for him. One was already taken, and Raven barely managed to hide his smile as the man who was seated there stood up and opened his arms wide as a welcoming gesture.

"Raven! Finally. How are you, my friend?" the man asked with a strong voice, before gazing at the whole room. "I don't remember suddenly forbidding anyone from talking here."

Raven laughed. "Sorry for spoiling the mood. I guess I must be a foreigner to you all now."

"Raven! It's really you!" Another man sitting not too far away stood up and strode to him. "How long has it been? Five, six years? What brings you here today?"

A few other people imitated him, and after a few exchanges of pats and cheerful welcomes, the room gradually turned back to its original noisy atmosphere. Needless to say, Raven was pleasantly surprised to see he was still in some people's memories, and he was even more pleased to notice that the Don hadn't changed at all. The man, despite reaching his fifties, looked as vigorous as ever, and the healthy long, white hair covering his broad shoulders was a sign that he still took care of himself particularly well. Everything from his stature to his strong and warm voice indicated his authority over Altosk, and Raven was glad that Whitehorse was still as respected as ever.

The latter gave a firm pat on Raven's back.

"Come and sit. I want to hear what made my old friend finally come back to this place." he said.

As Raven complied, he couldn't help but smile inwardly. It felt like going back home after a long journey.

* * *

><p>A knock on the door of the school infirmary made Judith raise her eyes from the paper she was filling in.<p>

"Come in." she said before smiling at the newcomer. "Raven. What brings you here? And don't tell me you're sick, because you look very healthy to me."

"I was sick a second ago, but seeing your smile cured me instantly." Raven replied with a teasing smile. It was soon replaced by a serious expression however. "More seriously, I thought you'd be interested in the development of the little story about Yuri Lowell."

"Close the door and have a seat." Judith gestured the chair in front of her. "So, did you meet with Don Whitehorse?"

"I did, two days ago, and I asked for his help. He contacted me yesterday to give me some quite interesting pieces of information about our young man."

"Is he in touch with the Leviathan's Claw?" Judith asked. She bit her lower lip when she saw Raven nod.

"Not only is he in touch with the Claw, but he's been one of their members during three years. From what the Don's informants gathered, he left a year ago and wasn't seen again in the lower quarters until recently. It's a pity I wasn't there anymore while he was under Yeager's orders. Anyway, apparently he was one of Yeager's protégés and managed quite well to survive there, until he suddenly decided to leave. A member of the Claw told the Don that leaving the organization is not much appreciated; that's why he was surprised to hear that Yuri has shown up again, to ask for a favour."

"Let me guess: the favour has something to do with Zagi." Judith interrupted him.

"Indeed. The details of the deal are unknown, but I'm pretty sure Yuri asked Yeager's help to deal with Zagi. He probably requested him to be eliminated." Raven concluded grimly.

"You think Yuri would go that far? Why simply not hand Zagi over to the police?"

"Probably because he doesn't trust them. Listen, from what Yuri's friend said, Zagi was supposed to be in jail. But he was bailed out, and I didn't manage to find who posted bail for him. I checked the newspapers and everything, but there isn't a single piece of information about it."

Judith frowned. "Now that's strange. Did you ask the police?"

"No. I don't want to owe Alexei more than I already do."

"Would you want me to ask then?"

A smile appeared on Raven's lips. "I was hoping that you'd do me the favour. Could you?"

"Well, as a former member of Alexei's elite unit, I think it should be possible for me to get some information. And unlike you, I don't owe him my life." Judith replied, an amused expression on her face.

"No need to remind me that." Raven sighed. "Anyway, it may be nice to know who the instigator of all this mess is, and why they decided to have Zagi released. For now the Don is having Yuri tailed; we'll see if anything new comes up."

"He's having Yuri tailed? That's a big favour for someone who left Altosk." Judith mused. "What did you promise in exchange?"

"A bottle of his favourite wine, my dear Judy."

The young woman laughed. "Well well, it's nice to see you're still in such good terms with Whitehorse. Do you plan to talk to Yuri?"

"No. He wouldn't listen anyway. And I'd rather remain as discreet as possible until I have no choice left."

"What are your plans about Zagi?" Judith asked. "Even if we manage to take Yuri back, we'll still have a potential killer running freely around the town."

"I thought of asking Altosk to take care of him, but that would be unwise. The organization is there to keep the lower quarters under control, not to deal with personal grudges." Raven paused for a second before crossing his arms. "If possible, I'd like to catch him before Yuri does, and hand him over to the police."

"Yuri wouldn't like that."

"Yuri's still a kid who has yet to learn that everything can't go as he wants, no matter how much he wants it." Raven retorted.

"I agree with you." Judith replied. Concern was now displayed all over her face. "Let's just hope all this mess gets solved quickly."

* * *

><p>"Flynn, did you receive some news from Yuri?" Karol asked as they exited the rehearsal room. At the mention of Yuri's name, the blonde boy twitched slightly, but discreetly enough for Karol not to notice it.<p>

"Not much." he replied lightly. Deciding that it would be wiser not to sound too unconcerned, he added: "What about you?"

"I've left some messages for him, but his replies were kinda short." Karol replied with a shrug. "I guess he just needs some rest, though he said he's still working. Damn, it's cold!"

The icy wind whipped Flynn's face as soon as he pushed the door of the building open, confirming Karol's exclamation. Flynn straightened up the collar of his coat and tightened the scarf around his neck with a shiver. Fortunately, most paths on the school grounds had been cleared away and salted to avoid any treacherous and slippery layer of ice. Night had long fallen by now, and Flynn had but one thing in mind: to hurry back home and order a warm meal. Apparently Karol was sharing the same thought as him for he kept cursing behind his scarf at how inhumanly cold the weather was.

"The girls and I don't have any class tomorrow afternoon, so we planned to go and visit Yuri. Wanna join us?" the younger boy offered as they reached the school gates.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline, I've been quite busy lately." Flynn replied with a tone he hoped was as neutral as possible.

"Too bad! He'll be disappointed but I'll say hi to him for you."

"Thank you, Karol." Flynn smiled. _'And I'm quite sure Yuri will be anything but disappointed.'_ he thought grimly.

As both boys parted ways, Flynn tried hard not to direct his thoughts towards a certain other male; yet his will failed him and words he wished he had never heard came nagging him again, echoing unpleasantly in his head.

_I don't need people who can't help me._

_You'd only get in the way._

_It's not some filthy rich kid who's gonna teach me how to live._

Flynn's fists clenched unconsciously in his pockets and he sank his face a bit deeper in his scarf. A filthy rich kid. That was what Yuri thought he was. So what if he owned more assets than about all the students of the university altogether? At least he didn't play with people's feelings as if they were mere disposable items.

Or did he? He had turned down Sodia while knowing her fondness for him; and worst of all, he had turned her down for a person who had brought him nothing but trouble. With a small sigh, he reminded himself to phone the girl after coming back home. Now that he thought about it, Sodia could be quite clingy at times, but her manners had always prevented her from hurting Flynn in any way.

Yet somehow, the one person on his mind on the whole way back wasn't Sodia.

* * *

><p>It had been over a week, and still there was no news from Yeager. Was Zagi hiding so well that even the information network of the Claw was having trouble? Or was Yeager not putting too much effort into the search, simply to annoy Yuri? The long-haired male shook the thought off his head. The Leviathan's Claw had always prided itself into delivering efficient services, and Yeager had always been very strict on that point. Then what was taking so long?<p>

"Yuri, I'm pretty sure you've cleaned this glass enough for now." Melody's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sorry, I spaced out a bit." Yuri apologized as he put the glass back.

"It's nice from you to take Josh's day shift while he's away, but try to focus a bit more." the girl said. "Or is it your wound which is hurting you? You shouldn't push yourself, you know. I still think it's not a good idea for you to come and work while you should be resting."

"Yeah, thanks for the advice, mommy." Yuri replied with a smirk. "I'm fine though, don't worry. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"If you say so." Melody replied, not convinced at all. Anyway, there aren't many customers at this hour yet, so if you need to rest a bit, I'm sure the boss won't say anything." she went on.

"I'm fine!" Yuri let out a small laugh. "Seriously, I'm not made of china or anything. I just spaced out a bit." he repeated.

"Last time I saw you being so distracted, you were upset over your pretty friend." Melody teased him with a sly smile. The reaction she got from Yuri was as expected: the latter jumped slightly, then stared at her with puzzlement.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.

"You know, that friend of yours who used to come here every weekend."

"I know who you're referring to, but I don't remember ever saying I was upset over him."

"Ah but I'm good at reading people's minds." Melody replied, amused. "So, what is it today?"

"Nothing important." Yuri replied, now slightly annoyed. The last thing he wanted was to talk about Flynn, or Zagi. Even after a week, the memory of Flynn's hurt expression as he left the studio hadn't faded the least bit. And every time without fail, a very unpleasant feeling would tie knots in Yuri's stomach, and his injury had definitely nothing to do with it.

Yuri longed for Flynn in a way he would have never imagined could be possible. The painful realization had struck him in the face for quite some time now, and for once he wished his feelings were more fleeting than that; it would have make things so much easier for him. But it seemed that 'easy' was not part of the characteristics of Yuri's life.

Yuri's phone rang in his pocket, indicating a message. The boy's eyes flashed with anticipation as he saw the name displayed on the screen and his fingers trembled a bit as he read the content of the message.

_Look in front of you._

Raising his eyes from the dishes he was cleaning, he gazed through the large window panes of the pub. He didn't have any trouble spotting a green-haired girl standing in the middle of the empty street on the other side of the road, barely veiled by the snowflakes falling lazily and silently around her. Not wasting another second, he dropped his tea towel.

"Melody, I'll be right back!" he said as he dashed to the exit, not even bothering to take his coat. The waitress didn't have the time to say anything that Yuri was already outside. With a sigh and a shake of her head, she kept on cleaning the plate she was holding.

Yuri hurried across the street, ignoring the cold biting him. In his haste, he bumped into a woman, making her purple hat fall. A quick apology, and a second later he was already standing in front of the girl who was waiting for him.

"Good afternoon, Yuri. So excited to see me you took the risk to catch a cold?" she sneered.

"More like eager to hear what you have to tell me, Gauche." Yuri replied.

"Well, it wasn't easy but we've spotted him for three days now. He moves quickly but he remains within the lower quarters. We have people tagging him so now we know his location at any time."

"Great. Has he been up to anything?"

Gauche shrugged. "It doesn't seem so. Nothing noticeable anyway. He's trying not to get too much attention after his failure at killing you."

"Why did you wait three days to tell me?"

"That's because there is something strange about him. Since the news of his attacking you, there have been other people looking for him, and they're not from the police."

"Do you have any idea who they are?" Yuri inquired, frowning.

"Who do you think we are? Of course we do. We've waited a bit before telling you so we could investigate a bit. And guess what? Those men work for none other the Verna family. They're-"

"–One of the biggest pharmaceutical industries, yeah I know." Yuri finished for her, looking completely puzzled. "Are you sure of it?"

Gauche narrowed her eyes. "Of course. I'm as surprised as you about it, and so is Yeager. We don't really get why they'd suddenly want to catch Zagi. There aren't many sensible theories about their reasons, even if-"

But Yuri wasn't listening anymore. From surprise, his expression turned to apprehension. A crease appeared between his brows. Was it Sodia? Why would she put so much effort into capturing Zagi? No matter what she had told him at the hospital about doing it for Flynn's sake, Yuri still had deep doubts. There had to be another reason, but how was he supposed to find it out? He couldn't ask Flynn, and he had no idea how to get in touch directly with Sodia.

"-could force one of them to talk, but Yeager wants to avoid direct conflict with influential people like the Vernas." Gauche finished her speech. "So, what do you plan to do?"

Yuri didn't reply immediately, taking his time to ponder. The presence of Sodia's henchmen didn't make any difference. Zagi was his own personal problem, and he wasn't going to allow anyone else to interfere.

"How long can you keep tagging him?" he finally asked.

"The question should rather be: how long can Zagi hide from the police and those guys?" Gauche corrected. "So far he's managed quite well, but he could get caught on any day, provided he isn't careful enough."

"Then I'll pay him a visit tomorrow night."

"Very well. 11 pm, meet us at the usual place and we'll lead you to him. Sounds good?" As Yuri nodded, the green-haired girl went on: "Excellent. Try not to put too much commotion when dealing with him. I'm off to inform Yeager now. It was a pleasure, Yuri." she added as she walked away before vanishing from Yuri's sight at the angle of the street.

Yuri hurried inside, cursing himself mentally at his own negligence for not taking his coat with him.

In the restaurant right next to the Square 9, a woman emptied a glass of wine. Her purple hat was lying on the chair next to her. She removed her headset and grabbed her phone instead. She dialled a number and waited.

"Mr Schwann? I have some news about the kid." she said.

* * *

><p>By night, the lower quarters didn't look particularly less welcoming than by day, for the simple reason that they naturally looked shabby, no matter the lighting. Yuri walked up the street, his scarf hiding half his face, crossing paths with a few people coming back late from work or simply out for a drink. Under his sleeve, a present from Gauche and Droite was tied to his arm: a dagger sheath. Naturally, it wasn't empty.<p>

Despite the rather late hour, some kids were still playing outside, throwing snowballs at each other. The snow was thick under Yuri's feet as no one usually bothered clearing it out in that area. He turned at a corner, then at another before spotting a street light under which two silhouettes were standing.

For once Gauche and Droite had decided not to make him wait. As he reached their spot, no greeting was exchanged. Instead, Yuri merely asked:

"Where is he now?"

"He's at a bar, like every night." Gauche replied.

"That's not very discreet." Yuri said, frowning.

"The place is warm, and neither the police nor the Vernas' henchmen ever search the lower quarters at this hour." Droite replied.

"I'll need to wait for him to leave the bar then."

Gauche nodded. "He usually does so after 11 pm, that's why we called you here at this hour."

"That's so nice from you." Yuri replied, barely hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

"Well, we're professionals, we take care of our customers." Droite said. "So, do you plan to kill him?"

Yuri shook his head. "Nah, I'm just gonna make sure he won't be able to harm anyone anymore." Then with a grin, he added: "Yeager did teach me where to strike to injure permanently without killing, after all. Though I never thought that'd actually come in handy."

"You haven't had any practice for a whole year, and you're injured. Are you sure you'll manage?" Gauche inquired. "Not that I'm worried about you or anything." she added quickly.

"Well, I'll have one advantage: surprise effect. I'll get him before he even knows it." Yuri replied with determination.

"Then I guess there's nothing else to add." Gauche nodded. "Follow us."

Both girls led Yuri through the darkest corners of the neighbourhood until they reached a narrow street in which several pub signs could be seen. The twins motioned Yuri to follow them in a dead end near where a rusty ladder led to the flat roofs of the pubs. Droite crouched and pointed down.

"See the sign with a torn shamrock? It's that one. From here you'll be able to see him when he gets out, and you'll have time to climb down and catch him in this dead end."

"Do you plan to stay here and watch?" Yuri inquired.

"Yeager said he wants a full report of this, so yes. Don't expect us to help you if you get into trouble though." Gauche replied. "We don't deal personal revenges."

"I know, I know. I wouldn't want your help anyway." Yuri replied, now staring at the door of the pub. Then he removed his scarf and shoved it the pocket of his coat. It would only hinder him. Blowing into his gloved hands, he started moving around in order to keep his body at a decent temperature. He couldn't afford even one mistake, especially in his state; that's why he had to be prepared to act very quickly, and having his muscles frozen wouldn't help him much.

He repeated in his mind what he exactly had to do: timing and accuracy would be critical. Too soon or too late and he would be found out, and if he didn't aim properly at that one spot in the back, he'd kill Zagi. Becoming a murderer was the last thing Yuri wished for.

"There he is." Droite murmured.

Yuri quickly crouched down and directed his gaze at the pub. Despite the dark hood covering his hair, there was no doubt that the man walking out was Yuri's target. The nasty look in his eyes was enough to confirm his identity. As Yuri was about to head for the ladder, he heard Gauche swear in a low voice.

"Damn it! He's not taking the usual way. He's going to the main street. Maybe he changed his hideout."

"Yuri, what are you going to do?" Droite inquired.

"No choice. I have to catch him before he reaches the main street." Yuri replied as he hurried downstairs and exited the dead end.

Zagi was walking away, his back turned to him. The main street was at the corner, around a hundred metres away. Yuri blessed the noises coming from the other pubs which were covering the sound of his quick footsteps in the snow. Pulling his hood over his head to hide his hair, he strode to Zagi in the narrow street. As he was about fifty metres from the man, he pulled out the long dagger from under his sleeve and held it firmly in his hand.

One strike. One strike was all it required to be over with it. Yuri walked closer. He had to hurry before Zagi left the dark narrow street and reached the main one. A few more steps left. Yuri prepared himself, raising his blade to the level of Zagi's back. Three more steps. Yuri kept his breathing as low as possible. Two. One.

Everything happened within a second. As Yuri was about to strike, Zagi suddenly turned round, a mad smirk on his face. He caught Yuri's wrist and dodged the knife while preparing to punch back. Yuri was quick and blocked the blow. It was incredible how quickly reflexes could come back once you were prepared. However, no matter how good he was at fighting, he knew he wasn't in a good position. The abrupt movements had triggered a jolt of pain from his wound, and he flinched slightly. Switching the position of the dagger in his hand, he grazed Zagi's arm, forcing the latter to let go of him.

"So you actually know how to fight a bit, Lowell." Zagi sneered as he stepped back. "Too bad, you could have gotten me if I hadn't known about you beforehand."

"How did you know?" Yuri asked harshly.

"Well, let's say I was informed that you'd come after me."

Yuri's blood froze in his veins. Who could have...? Yeager? No, that was impossible. Yeager's policy was to never break a deal. At the same time, the deal had merely been to _find_ Zagi for him, there had been no other conditions to it. Still, if it really was Yeager, why?

"Deserters should be disposed of." Zagi said as if to reply Yuri's silent question. "And I was granted the honour to carry out that task. He said I could take the place you formerly had in the Claw if I kill you." he added with a sinister laugh.

Yuri cursed under his breath. Gauche and Droite must be having a lot of fun watching him now. He assessed the situation quickly: Zagi probably had a weapon too, which meant that he'd have to act before Zagi had time to use it. He couldn't afford having witnesses either, which meant that he couldn't let Zagi reach the main street where people would be bound to see them.

Yuri dashed on the right and charged at Zagi, ignoring the pain from his torn side. The other man blocked him again and sank his knee into Yuri's injury, eliciting a growl from the long-haired male. The latter gripped Zagi's shoulder in order not to fall, and in the flash of a second, he thought of settling things definitely. One stab in the neck would be sufficient. There was no time to think about morals or whatnot; Yuri's one priority was to survive. He raised his dagger again and struck.

The blade sank into the soft fabric of Zagi's coat and into the flesh... of his chest, ten centimetres above his heart. Yuri pulled the dagger out and stepped back, panting and holding his side with one hand as Zagi stumbled and fell on his knees. Crimson marred the taintless snow.

"I didn't hit a vital point." Yuri stated as he stared icily at Zagi.

"You could have... killed me... ahh... Why?" Zagi breathed out with trouble, one hand pressed over the wound.

Yuri didn't reply. He himself didn't know why. The only thing he knew was that, right before the tip of his dagger had grazed Zagi's neck, a face had flashed in his head. Flynn's face. His hand had deviated on its own after that.

He took a step closer and walked round the other man. This time, Zagi was at his mercy; he couldn't miss the spinal cord. As he was about to deal the blow, a voice rose behind him:

"Yuri! Stop this!"

The boy turned round to see two figures running to him. At first he thought his eyes were tricking him, but as the two newcomers got closer, Yuri couldn't help but stare in disbelief. What the hell were Raven Schwann and the nurse doing there? And furthermore, with _guns_?

"Get away from him, Yuri." Raven ordered as they arrived at Yuri's spot.

"Tch, that's lame, Lowell." Zagi spat out. "In the end... you couldn't even... ahh... finish me off... Too bad, it's been... fun..." he finished before passing out.

Raven lowered his gun and knelt down to check Zagi's pulse. "Judy, can you call an ambulance?"

"Right away." Judith replied.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Yuri asked, furious. "This is none of your business!"

"Take it easy, Yuri. Your wound has reopened."

Raven was right. Through his glove, Yuri could feel the dampness of blood on his hand, and the throbbing pain was making him nauseous. He didn't care about that moment, though.

"Don't change the topic! Why are you here?" he asked again.

There was a sigh from the older man. As he stared at Yuri, his eyes reflected nothing but severity.

"To prevent you from doing something stupid." he replied with a wry smile.

"Don't decide by yourself what's stupid and what's not." Yuri snapped back.

"You were about to kill him. That is stupid enough for me."

"No I wasn't! I was about to hit his spinal cord!"

"And let him die of blood loss afterwards."

"No! I was-"

A hand on his shoulder interrupted Yuri. He glanced sideways only to see Judith looking at him with concern.

"Yuri, stop this. First of all, sit down and let me see your injury." she said, but her tone made it clear that it was an order. Yuri didn't have much strength left to protest anyway, therefore he complied, though reluctantly.

"What are you going to do with him?" he asked, gesturing with his head at Zagi.

"If we simply deliver him to the police now, they'll question you. I'm pretty sure you don't need that kind of extra trouble. And I don't either."

"No one asked you to meddle with what doesn't concern you." Yuri replied before letting out a hiss of pain as Judith examined his wound. Blood had leaked through the bandages, and from the frown of worry on the nurse's face, Yuri knew he wasn't going to hear the end of it any time soon.

"Don't think you can deal with this kind of stuff by yourself simply because you spent three years of your life with the Leviathan's Claw." Raven replied dryly.

As expected, Yuri stared at him with a stunned expression on his face.

"Wh-How... How did you..." he stuttered, but Judith cut him off.

"Save the questions for later. For now you need to calm down." she said as she produced some gauze from her bag and applied it on the pool of blood. "Press it. It'll temporarily slow down the blood loss. I need to check on Zagi now."

"Anyway, about the young man here." Raven went on. "If you hadn't hurt him, we could have avoided mentioning your name. I fear I'll have to talk to Alexei, after all." he sighed.

"I can do that, if you want." Judith offered, but Raven shook his head.

"No, he's not stupid. Asking for two favours within two days? He'll know I asked you to do it. It should be fine, I'll just request that Yuri's name doesn't appear anywhere."

"Why would you do that?" Yuri asked. "You don't owe me anything."

"I don't, but I know how you can regret your mistakes of youth." Raven replied wearily. "You managed to get a normal life after leaving the Claw, which is a miracle by itself. Don't waste that chance that has been given to you."

"You don't understand." Yuri replied slowly in a low voice, gritting his teeth. "I had no choice. I had to find Zagi before he hurt my friends. The police are inefficient, and even if they had managed to catch him, he'd be released again in a few months. And he'd come target my friends, as he has always done."

"Do you think your friends would like you to get killed?" Judith asked. As Yuri scowled, she added: "It was one of your friends who told us that you were in trouble, because he was worried about you."

Yuri opened round eyes. "Karol?"

"No, Flynn."

As he heard Flynn's name, Yuri felt a surge of anger. So it was Flynn who had sold him out. It was because of Flynn that Zagi was about to be handed over to the incompetence of the police and of the law. It was because of Flynn that Zagi would be able to run freely again, that he would come and mess with his life once more. It seemed that Flynn had never understood Yuri in the end, and had preferred to believe naively in that crappy justice of the world instead. How nice it must be to live in the ignorance that justice could only be dealt by oneself.

The people of the lower quarters managed to survive only thanks to their own skills; there had never been any point in hoping that the law would ever bring any good to them. That was what Yuri had learnt during those three years in the Leviathan's Claw. How many times had he met with customers seeking help from the Claw or Altosk after being let down by the so-called justice? How many people had asked for protection after the law had failed to protect them? Yuri wasn't dumb. He knew that Yeager had carried out a few assassination requests in secret, even though it wasn't supposed to be the Claw's job. It was sometimes the only way to protect people, and Yuri was grateful enough that Yeager had never ordered anyone else to do the dirty job.

Of course Flynn couldn't understand it.

Yet somehow, among Yuri's frustration and anger surfaced another feeling which didn't have anything to do with resentment. Relief. Flynn had acted out of concern for him, despite the harsh words Yuri had directed at him. Then maybe Yuri still had a chance to be forgiven if he apologized properly, if he explained the reasons behind his acts. And suddenly, it was as if a heavy burden had just been removed from his shoulders. He leant his head back against the wall and closed his eyes with a sigh, letting his consciousness drift away before he even realized it.

"Looks like he finally calmed down." Judith said softly with a smile.

"Kids nowadays are such a pain." Raven replied, shaking his head.

* * *

><p>"Yeager, what's the meaning of all this?" Droite asked, barely containing the anger that was making her voice tremble.<p>

"What do you mean, my dear?" the man asked back, his calm voice making a sharp contrast with Droite's. He was comfortably sitting at a table, sipping from a glass of wine.

"We clearly heard Zagi saying that he knew beforehand that Yuri would be after him." Gauche said, her fists clenched. "And he mentioned that deserters should be disposed of. We want an explanation." she demanded.

"What is there to explain? It sounds quite clear to me." Yeager replied, making both girls' face turn white. "I warned him a year ago that he wouldn't be welcome if he dared show his face here again."

"In that case you could have simply rejected his request! Now it looks like we didn't keep our end of the bargain!" Droite protested, but the icy glare she received from Yeager made her fall silent.

"The bargain was to find Zagi for him." he declared dryly. "Nothing else. Now if you disagree with me, you can leave, but I won't guarantee you a safe fate if you do."

At those words, both girls froze on the spot and stared incredulously at Yeager. Then, after several seconds, they lowered their heads.

"We are deeply sorry for doubting you." they said.

* * *

><p>When Yuri woke up, the first thing he noticed was that he was lying in a comfortable bed. His first thought was that he hadn't heard his alarm-clock and that he was probably going to be late for school. His second thought was that the bed didn't feel familiar. Blinking twice, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, only to find himself in a recognizable scenery.<p>

He was at the hospital. Again. He spotted the clock on the wall which indicated 2.15. Glancing through the window, he didn't have any trouble guessing that it was 2.15 am.

"How are you feeling?" a voice next to him asked. Yuri turned his head on the side and put on a weary face. Raven Schwann. So the man was still there.

"Fine, I guess. What happened?" Yuri asked back.

"Both you and Zagi were brought to this private clinic a few hours ago." Raven replied. "Judith works here so she's the one taking care of you. That'll prevent any questions for now. Zagi's being treated, and once his state has stabilized, I'll call the police to take him away." As he noticed Yuri tensing up and his hands clench the blanket over him, he added: "I know what you think about the police and I won't blame you for thinking that way. However, you have to understand that your own sense of justice may not necessarily be the right one either. But for now don't worry about this, I'm going to make some arrangements with a few contacts I have to make sure Zagi will stay in jail this time."

"His crimes aren't serious enough for him to get a lifelong prison sentence." Yuri retorted, gritting his teeth. "He'll be out before you know it."

"That's why I said I'm going to make arrangements with some people I know. They'll make sure that Zagi won't get out anymore."

Yuri narrowed his eyes then looked away. A faint frown could be seen on his face. Then, after a few seconds, he stared back at Raven and asked:

"Why would you do that? You have nothing to gain out of it. And who the hell are you anyway? Don't tell me you're just a teacher, because I won't believe you."

Raven smiled wryly. "Alright. I guess I can tell you a bit. Let's say I haven't always been a teacher. I was part of Altosk, several years before you joined the Leviathan's Claw." The man chuckled at Yuri's stunned face. "I left, though. But Don Whitehorse and I are still in good terms, which is a big luck. His support will be essential in this matter of yours."

"Why did you leave?" Yuri interrupted Raven.

The middle-aged man didn't reply immediately and would Yuri have been sharper, he would have probably noticed the sudden melancholy clouding Raven's eyes.

"Let's say some events made me realize that my place wasn't there anymore." he finally replied with a smile.

"So the contacts you spoke of are part of Altosk?" Yuri inquired.

"Indeed." Raven nodded. It was only partly true, but Yuri didn't need to know that he also had contacts in the police. He didn't need to know that Alexei was the chief of the police department.

"You still haven't told me why you're so willing to help me." Yuri continued. "Altosk won't do you any favour for free, so why? And why would they help you, considering that you left?"

"Suspicious, aren't we?" Raven let out a small laugh. "Well, unlike Yeager, Don Whitehorse is a much more understanding man, and he remembers his friends well. You could say I was his right-hand man, something like th– Hey, don't look so surprised, it's a bit insulting, you know?"

"His right-hand man? That's..." Yuri repeated, completely ignoring Raven's last sentence. He could barely believe his ears. Raven Schwann, a flirty lecturer in a small university, had actually been the closest one to the most influent man of the underground? This sounded completely surrealistic. For a second, Yuri pondered about the possibility that Raven was completely bluffing.

"You don't have to believe me if you don't want to." Raven went on, amused. "Anyway, the reason I want to help isn't merely out of charity towards you, if that can reassure you. There's something else that troubles me quite a bit. You thought that Zagi was simply released from jail after serving his sentence, didn't you?" As Yuri nodded, Raven went on: "Well that's not what happened. Someone bailed him out."

"Seriously? Who?" Yuri asked, opening round eyes.

"That's where the strange part comes. Apparently that person wanted to remain anonymous, but Judith managed to find out their identity. Though it's not their identity which is important, but the person they're actually working for. Have you heard of Sodia Verna?"

Yuri froze and his jaw almost dropped as he heard the name. Sodia? Her again? Why would she...?

"I take it that you have." Raven went on with a chuckle. His face soon turned serious again, though. "I'm not sure why someone like her would suddenly want to bail out a random a prisoner, but that's what I plan to find out."

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you sure it's her?" Yuri asked. "Because Gau– someone from the Claw told me that she sent her men to capture Zagi while he was still hiding in the lower quarters."

"What?" Now it was Raven's turn to look surprised. He frowned. "Now that's unexpected. That confirms the fact that this needs to be investigated." he paused, then went on: "One more thing: obviously the Claw is going to ask you to repay the favour they did to you by finding Zagi, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, naturally." Yuri lied. Raven didn't need to know that Yeager wanted him dead now. He sighed mentally. That turn of event was definitely unexpected, and unwelcome.

"Yuri, now you must listen to me carefully." Raven went on gravely, staring straight into Yuri's eyes. "When he asks you to repay your debt, and you find yourself in trouble to do so, you'll have to tell me. You hear me? You have to promise me you won't try to do anything alone again."

"... Fine." Yuri replied reluctantly after a few seconds of silence.

"Good. Now I think I should lea–"

"Hey, wait." Yuri interrupted the older man. "What about Judith? You said she was able to get information that even you couldn't have. Who's she?"

"Ah, Judith. Right." Raven said, nodding in satisfaction. "I'm not sure how much she wants you to know, but I guess it won't do her any harm if I tell you she used to be a medic at the police department. She resigned after a while. I guess it didn't really fit her."

"How did the two of you meet then?"

"Enough questions for tonight, young man." Raven replied, yawning as he stood up from his chair. "For now I need some sleep, and you too. Judy will kill me if I keep you awake too long. Take care of that injury of yours, because I want you back at the university by next week. Got it?"

Yuri pulled a disappointed face, but he knew he wasn't going to get any more information from Raven tonight.

"Fine." he merely replied before lying back in the comfortable mattress.

Now there was only one issue left to deal with: Flynn.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N:**** So... This marks the end of the Zagi arc. Time for our boys to rest a bit and think about their relationship. Also, first of all, I have nothing against the police. I'm making Yuri think the way he thinks as a reference of his distrust towards the imperial knights in the game. Second, I drew a cover for this story. Feel free to see the link in my profile :) And I guess that's all for now. *goes crash into bed before crashing because of fever*****  
><strong>


	23. November 27th to December 4th

**November 27****th**** to December 4****th**

That Sunday evening was like any Sunday, meaning that Yuri was working the whole day, even though it had required much insistence on his side for his boss to let him work. He had been discharged from the clinic on the previous day after countless orders from Judith to drop regularly by the school infirmary to have his bandages changed and to actually take it easy this time. A wound reopening once could be dealt with by the body, but it needed to heal at some point, and running around fighting other people wasn't going to help.

For once, Yuri wasn't in charge of cooking the traditional dish of the day, and was merely cleaning glasses or making cocktails. His boss had made it clear that he wouldn't let him do anything more than that. The door of the pub opened, and like every time it did, Yuri glanced automatically at it before focusing back on his work. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, there was that completely surrealistic hope of his that the customer crossing the pub's entrance would be a certain blonde boy.

He sighed mentally. Promising oneself to do something was a first step, but actually fulfilling that promise was another matter. Yuri desperately wanted to apologize to Flynn, but he had no idea how. The few days spent at the clinic under Judith's care had given him some time to think of many scenarios, but none of them had been satisfying. Most of them involved luring Flynn into lowering his guard with particular dishes specifically cooked for him; however, Yuri was pretty much convinced that those kinds of tricks only worked in fictions.

That left him with one option: being straightforward, purely and simply. If he wanted to have Flynn back, he owed him at least the whole truth.

And then another thought crossed his mind: what was he going to say about Sodia? The dark-haired boy wasn't so sure that Flynn would be happy to learn that her supposedly fiancée was the one who had bailed out Zagi. Well, there was also the fact that she had tried to capture him back, but Yuri was having a hard time believing it was out of sudden sympathy towards him.

If he told Flynn, then chances were high that the latter would definitely turn away from Sodia. Smug satisfaction suddenly took over Yuri at the thought; this wasn't a bad idea after all. Still, it could create unwanted tensions between the two families, and despite the fact that all those business matters were quite confusing to him, there was one thing that Yuri knew for certain: it wouldn't only bring Flynn more problems to deal with.

For now, it was perhaps better to keep quiet about Sodia, no matter the resentment Yuri felt towards her.

His mind was settled. Tomorrow was Monday, and Flynn had a fencing session after classes. It would be the perfect opportunity to talk to him.

* * *

><p>"Hey look! It's Lowell, he's back!"<p>

The exclamation made Flynn freeze for half a second, but it was enough for his opponent to score a point. As both fencers walked back to their respective places, the blonde male glanced through his mask on the side to confirm the presence of the one person he didn't want to see, seated on the bench where his bottle of water was. Some students had gathered around him, asking for news and whatnot, and Flynn had to try hard to focus back on his duel.

Throughout the whole training session however, he had the unpleasant certainty that Yuri's eyes were locked on him. At the break, he completely ignored the dark-haired boy as he grabbed his bottle of water, while thanking the other students mentally for keeping Yuri busy with countless questions which were mainly centred on how it felt to be stabbed. He almost felt sorry for Yuri to be harassed with ridiculous questions like those, but his mind hardened at the memory that Yuri didn't deserve such sympathy.

Nevertheless, there was only one question that was bothering Flynn at the moment: why had Yuri come? He had made it clear that he wanted Flynn out of his personal business, and that request had been perfectly respected by the latter; so why show up his face now?

It was only at the end of the training that their eyes finally crossed, even if it was only for a second. As Flynn was about to head for the changing room, Yuri stood up.

"Flynn. I need to talk to you." he said with rare seriousness.

"About what?" the blonde boy asked dryly. He noticed Yuri glancing around him at all the people who were still there, hesitating. Flynn had no intention of making things easier for him. "Well, if you have nothing else to say, I'll be on my way." he declared as he pretended to leave.

"Flynn, please." Yuri said hastily, now completely dismissing the curious glances he was receiving from the other students. "Please." he repeated, his amethyst eyes not leaving Flynn as single second.

That stare made the blonde boy hesitate. A part of him was screaming at him to pay Yuri back and walk off, just to give him a taste of how unpleasant it felt to be rejected. However, another part of him was really eager to hear what Yuri had to tell him; he had gone through the trouble of coming all the way to see him, after all. With a small sigh, he nodded curtly:

"Wait for me in the hall."

About ten minutes later, both boys were exiting the gymnasium while trying to resist the bite of cold as much as they could. As they started walking towards the university's gates, Yuri spoke:

"Flynn, I'm sorry for what I said to you." Being blunt was sometimes the best option, he reckoned.

Silence followed, only broken by the sound of their quick footsteps in the snow. Apparently, a mere apology wasn't enough for Flynn, which was perfectly understandable.

"I just wanted you to know that I've never meant it." he added.

Flynn kept silent, though he glanced at Yuri and noticed that the latter looked slightly out of breath and was having some trouble keeping up with his pace. He frowned. Was it his injury? And if it was, it meant that Yuri had come here despite not being in an actual state to. Flynn bit his lower lip and slowed down a bit. How much did Yuri intend to play with him like that? Or was he actually playing?

"Flynn, say something. I beg of you." Yuri's voice, almost pleading, interrupted his train of thoughts.

The blonde male stopped walking and turned to Yuri. Despite the darkness, Flynn could clearly tell that the other boy was looking at him with unusual seriousness and... expectation. Letting out a silent sigh, he finally replied:

"I want an explanation. But not here. Come at my place."

Was it the wisest decision to invite Yuri over? Flynn didn't have the answer to the question, but the relief he read on Yuri's face told him at least that it wasn't the worst decision he could have made. The walk back to his apartment only lasted a couple of minutes, but the silence between both boys made it feel like an hour.

When they finally crossed the door to the flat, Flynn merely gestured to the sofa and said:

"Take a seat. I need a shower first, and then I'll hear what you have to say."

Yuri complied after removing his coat, scarf and gloves; he winced slightly as his wound started hurting him again. Apparently it didn't like cold that much. Leaning against the back of the sofa, he sighed and shut his eyes. The familiar scent of Flynn's apartment filled him with content; even if it hadn't been so long since his last visit here, he had missed it. Even if he normally found the atmosphere cold, tonight it was as warm as it could be.

The sound of water coming from the bathroom reached his ears. He smiled, suddenly remembering that day when he had teased Flynn after the latter had just finished showering. Would he be able to tease him again? Doubt suddenly seized him.

What if Flynn wasn't ready to forgive him? What if, after hearing what he had to say, Flynn decided that someone who had spent several years among disreputable people wasn't worth his time? _Then he would be right,_ Yuri thought bitterly. But at least he would have tried.

It felt like ages before the door of the bathroom finally clicked open and soft footsteps on the carpet were heard. A second later, Flynn was sitting on the armchair in front of him. Crossing his arms and legs, he addressed Yuri with a voice that wasn't cold, but neither was it kind:

"I'm listening."

Taking in a deep breath, Yuri started speaking.

The first year after leaving the orphanage, the three years spent in the Leviathan's Claw, their rules, his departure, his hesitation to get in touch with them again, and then the encounter with Zagi. As Flynn listened, a crease appeared between his brows, but Yuri couldn't tell whether it was worry or disbelief that was making the former frown. It didn't matter at that point. He went on, explaining how Raven and Judith had come to help him, and at that point, Flynn wasn't even hiding his surprise anymore.

He listened to the whole story without interrupting. Once Yuri was done, he turned silent and looked away as if waiting for his sentence to fall.

"Everything you just told me is the pure truth, isn't it?" Flynn finally asked.

"Everything." Yuri nodded. He hadn't mentioned Sodia's name, but it couldn't be considered lying, could it? And it was for Flynn's sake, after all.

"Why did you not tell me about the Leviathan's Claw earlier? Why did you hide it from me?"

"Because I didn't want to drag you any deeper in that mess." Yuri replied. "Because I didn't want you to have anything to do with that kind of people."

"Of course." Flynn nodded. "Even after I repeated to you countless times that I wanted to help, no matter the risks."

"Flynn, it was dangerous and I wouldn't have forgiven myself if something had happened to you because of me." Yuri's laced fingers contracted, turning slightly white.

"And at that time you didn't realize that I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I let you deal with your problems alone, did you?"

Yuri raised his eyes to Flynn, surprised. "I... I didn't think of that. I just thought that, as long as you were out of trouble, everything would be fine."

"Well obviously it's not that simple!" Flynn let out with irritation. He stood up and started pacing back and forth. "You thought you were being considerate of others while you were actually being selfish. And I'm not talking only for myself, but also for your friends, and for the woman who raised you like a mother. What if you had actually been killed? Do you think they'd be happy to learn that you hid the truth from them simply because you didn't trust them enough to ask for their help?"

"It's not a matter of trust!" Yuri retorted. "It's just that sometimes, some stuff can't be dealt with the normal way. If I had told them, they'd have gone to the police, and then what? I've experienced how inefficient they are. By the time they actually manage to achieve something, it's usually already too late."

"And so you think it is wiser to deal your own justice." Flynn stated dryly.

"At least it's more efficient than waiting for the police to do something."

"I'm not talking about the police, Yuri, I'm talking about _you_. About what you did during those three years."

"Well, I've spent enough time in the lower quarters to tell you safely that most people living there are happy that organizations such as the Claw or Altosk exist." Yuri snapped back. "But I don't expect you to understand that."

As soon as he pronounced those words, he regretted it. Flynn had stopped pacing.

"Of course you don't. I am, after all, a filthy rich kid who only knows the joys of being rich." he said.

"I told you I never meant that!" Yuri replied with exasperation as he stood up and stepped towards Flynn. He fought the urge to take Flynn's hand in his own, knowing that the latter would probably refuse the contact. "Listen, the only thing I meant is that sometimes official authorities aren't enough to deal with some people." he added, cooling down his tone. "But I haven't come here to argue with you on that, or on anything else. I just want to tell you that I've never intended to hurt you in any way, and... after hearing my explanations, I can only hope that you'll forgive me." he finished, looking slightly away.

Flynn didn't reply at once. He simply stood there, looking at the other boy who was avoiding his gaze, until an answer finally came out:

"You do realize that you'll have to do better than this if you want anyone to forgive you, don't you?"

Yuri raised his eyes, perplexed. "Better, how?"

"Have you talked to Karol or Rita?"

"Not yet."

"Then that could be a start. They are your childhood friends, and you lied to them. You may have had good intentions at the beginning, but concealing the truth from your friends has never been a good way to repay friendship."

Yuri suppressed a protest. The conversation was looping around a delicate topic, yet he was in no position to argue, which was all the more frustrating.

"I'll talk to them." he replied eventually, hiding the reluctance in his voice as much as possible.

"Good." Flynn nodded. "Now I need time to think. You'll understand that I'm still upset at you and that everything you told me doesn't make things easier for me."

"I understand." Yuri replied, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"I won't keep you here any longer, then. I'll call a taxi to drive you back home."

But Yuri shook his head. "It's fine, I can walk back." he said as he grabbed his coat on the sofa.

Flynn was tempted to insist; it was dark, cold, and Yuri still hadn't completely recovered from his injuries. However, he decided that it wasn't sensible to show too much care towards the boy right now, no matter how much sympathy he was feeling at the sight of his dejected expression.

"As you wish." the blonde male replied as he walked Yuri back to the door.

Once at the doorstep, he turned to Flynn once again:

"One last thing." he said, staring straight into Flynn's eyes. "On that night when I went to find Zagi, at some point I was an inch away from actually killing him. I had my blade ready to sink in his neck. Only one thing stopped me from crossing the line."

"What?"

"You." Yuri finished before heading for the stairs.

Flynn blinked once, then twice before he finally reacted:

"Wait! What do you mean?" he asked, still standing by the door.

Yuri turned round and his lips curled into a sad smile. "I thought that you wouldn't want a murderer by your side, would you?"

As he walked down the stairs and disappeared, Flynn could only stand there, puzzled.

* * *

><p>It was past 1 am, and still Flynn couldn't find sleep, no matter how hard he tried. On one hand, he was glad that Yuri had come to apologize and explain himself; but on the other hand, it was those very explanations that made him hesitate on how to act towards Yuri in the future. He had speculated plenty of explanations about Yuri's past, but it had never crossed his mind that a boy his age could have spent several years within an underground organization. Who knew the extent of Yuri's actual skills? Flynn had always thought of him as the average university student who worked to pay for his studies, didn't bother too much about getting good grades and was an expert at cooking. And now Yuri had revealed to him a much less attractive side of him. He had admitted committing acts which he wasn't proud of and getting in touch with people who were normally avoided.<p>

The memory of Yuri's face as he spoke came back to Flynn. The long-haired male had definitely not been boasting.

And then there was that final smile he had given him right before leaving. It had lasted a mere second, yet the bitterness mixed with wry hope that Flynn had read on those lips had made his heart sink. Especially after those words Yuri had pronounced. _I thought that you wouldn't want a murderer by your side._ By his side? Did Yuri want to remain with him so badly? Flynn had troubles believing it, even though he couldn't deny that, at that precise instant when Yuri had smiled to him, he had struggled hard not to run after him and pull him back in his arms.

Flynn shifted in his bed for the hundredth time, sinking deeper under his blankets. His fingers unconsciously reached his lips and hovered over them, ineluctably bringing back the fading memories of those unexpectedly pleasant chills that would run down his body whenever Yuri's lips touched his, whenever Yuri's fingers brushed his skin, or whenever Yuri's deep voice murmured soft words at his ear.

It was completely irrational. He still desired Yuri, regardless of all the trouble the latter had brought him. It wasn't sensible at all. His reputation would completely fall apart if people were to learn that he was still in touch with someone like Yuri. His future would be compromised if he didn't put a clear end to their relationship.

And yet...

Flynn let out a frustrated sigh. He had stopped counting the number of times Yuri was messing with his mind.

Slowly, he finally allowed himself to drift into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

><p>On Monday, Yuri had decided to go back to school, much to Raven's pleasure, but also to Karol's delight who didn't hide his satisfaction to have his best mate finally back. Yuri knew he had promised to tell Karol and Rita the truth, yet he couldn't decide on a right time. Not today, he decided. He wasn't so eager to spoil the cheerful mood of his friends so early.<p>

The cafeteria was as full and noisy as ever, Yuri noticed, but not noisy enough to cover Karol's excited voice.

"I'm so stressed! The concert is in two days and I feel like I'm gonna mess up everything!" he said, shoving a spoonful of pasta in his mouth.

"You'll be fine!" Estelle reassured him with a gentle smile. She then addressed Yuri and Rita: "Will you come as well?"

"Yeah, I want to see that twat mess up." Rita sneered, completely ignoring the glare she received from the youngest boy.

"I didn't know there was a concert." Yuri shrugged. His eyes turned to Karol's side, where Flynn was sitting and eating silently. "But I guess I'll come, yeah."

"You'd better!" the brown-haired boy replied. "It'll be held in the Saint Claire church, not far from the school! It's a special concert, for Saint Lucy's day and Christmas! It's gonna be great, the choir will be there too, right Estelle?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, and there will be a solo by our teacher who is a baritone."

Yuri smiled at his friends' enthusiasm. Christmas. With the latest events, he had completely forgotten that Christmas was now only a month away, which meant that the Christmas break was also as close. That explained why most students were in a better mood around that time of the year; it meant holidays, presents, family meetings, light decorations everywhere in the streets, songs, hot wine, gingerbread and any kind of delicious food.

This year, maybe Yuri would be able to come back to the orphanage to celebrate with Pia and the others. Glancing at Flynn again, he wondered how the boy usually spent his Christmas break. Images of fancy evening parties with high-class and stuck-up guests talking about politics and economics popped in his mind, and for once he was very relieved that he didn't belong to that universe. The thought of Flynn standing among those people was quite amusing, though.

"Hey Flynn, what are your plans for Christmas break?" The question escaped his lips before he even realized it.

The blonde male granted him a gaze before focusing on his meal again. "I have no plans yet." he replied lightly. The others seemed too busy chatting among themselves to notice the polite distance that Flynn was putting between himself and Yuri.

"Oh." was all Yuri could reply. He sighed mentally. Flynn may have decided not to stay too close to him, after all. The thought hurt him more than he wanted to reveal, and even though a part of him knew he had deserved it, another part still found it unfair. However, if that was Flynn's decision, then so be it. A tiny voice at the back of Yuri's head kept murmuring to him that his attachment to the blonde boy was everything but reasonable. The two of them belonged to different worlds, _much_ different worlds, and perhaps the wisest choice for Yuri if he really cared about Flynn was to let him go, for the sake of not dragging him down.

However, convincing himself to give up on the one person he actually desired for that very person's sake proved to be much harder than what he had imagined.

* * *

><p>Despite the cold, people were queuing outside the church while waiting to be granted entry. Night had fallen on the early evening, enhancing the luminous decorations around the building. The doors finally opened, and soon enough, Yuri and Rita made their ways inside, looking for seats like the many other students around them. The whole inside of the church was barely lit, but it was enough not to stumble. Both Yuri and Rita luckily managed to find seats not too far from the choir where the orchestra was set. The musicians and the singers were all standing by the choir walls, in the dark, waiting for the beginning of the concert.<p>

A mere couple of minutes were necessary to fill the entire church, and after another few minutes of waiting, a spot lit up the central alley to reveal the conductor. A short introduction of the orchestra was made, wishes of happy celebrations were given, and finally the musicians took place in the now illuminated choir.

Yuri didn't have any trouble spotting Flynn and Karol, and Estelle standing in the choir behind the orchestra among the other singers. Instruments were tuned up, and the first notes filled the silent church.

During a full hour, the orchestra performed from a repertoire which fitted the winter and Christmas mood perfectly. Though Yuri's gaze sometimes wandered here and there, his eyes always landed back on the same person: Flynn. Even a glance was enough to tell that the blonde boy was enjoying the concert as much as the audience.

Applause followed new pieces which brought about more applause, until the final piece was played and the last note echoed against the walls of the church. The audience cheered, some students even calling out the names of their friends. The performers stood up and bowed several times, flowers were brought to the conductor and thanks were spread out.

In the middle of the noise and the excitement, two gazes met. One, of deep amethyst, lingered while the other, clear azure, quickly slid aside.

Yuri's heart sank a bit more as his hands kept clapping against each other. Perhaps the knot in his stomach would have loosened a bit if he had known that in the orchestra, the heart of a certain violinist was sinking as well.

* * *

><p>On that Friday afternoon, the sun was bright in the sky, though the difference in temperature with a snowy day wasn't particularly obvious. And despite the sun, Yuri was waiting for the storm which was inevitably to come.<p>

It came, yet not under the shape he'd have expected it to. The silent storm setting Rita's eyes ablaze with untold fury was actually closer to a hurricane, and much more frightening than her usual outbursts of anger. It was Karol who spoke first, though his words were only mere stutters:

"Yuri... you-you're joking, right?..."

The raven-haired boy didn't reply, as no answer was needed. Instead he merely hopped off his bed to help himself with another cup of coffee. Karol shifted on his chair, glancing quickly from Rita to Yuri as if he was hoping either to tell him it was a joke. Yet, the event that ensued was definitely not what he had expected.

In a flash of a second, Rita had abruptly stood up from her chair and next thing he knew, her fist had collided with Yuri's cheek. Hot coffee spilled on the older male's uniform, but that was the last of his bothers.

"You're a damn idiot!" the brunette finally burst out angrily. "A freaking damn idiot!"

Yuri had deserved the punch, he knew it, but it didn't make it less painful.

"You idiot!" Rita repeated, stomping her foot on the floor. "Why haven't you told us earlier? Why didn't you tell us that Zagi was here? I'd have showed him the real meaning of pain!"

"Yeah, me too!" Karol intervened as he stood from his chair as well.

"I didn't want to get you involved." Yuri replied while knowing very well that any attempt at defending himself was doomed to failure.

"Huh! Cut the crap!" the angry girl snapped back. "Do you think we're such sissies we wouldn't dare beat the hell out of him?"

"You could have got hurt like me."

"Yeah well, you think that's a reason for playing the lonesome, heroic knight?"

"You got it completely wrong! I–" Yuri retorted.

"Are we your friends or are we not?" Rita snapped.

Yuri blinked.

His friends. _'Concealing the truth from your friends has never been a good way to repay friendship.'_ Flynn had told him. How could have he been so blind? Slowly, very slowly, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Yes, he had friends. Friends whom he could rely on.

* * *

><p>Flynn's mobile rang. A glance at the name displayed on the screen made him sigh. It had been a long time, and yet he hadn't missed that person at all.<p>

"Good afternoon, mother."

"_Good afternoon, Flynn. I just want to inform you that the Vernas will attend the New Year party this year. Has Sodia told you anything about it?"_

Her tone, though not a motherly one, was actually less dry than usual. It was wiser not to spoil that semblance of good mood of hers, Flynn reckoned.

"Not yet, but I am delighted to hear so." he replied with his most convincing tone.

Every year, the capital city organized a party to which any national company could attend. The official purpose was to enjoy the festivities, but the officious one was to exchange contacts and discuss potential partnerships with the guests. Naturally, the Scifos always attended.

To Flynn, this year would be slightly different though. This year, he planned to make good use of the party to make another step towards his independence. He had already started working on projects by himself, and the next stage was to convince influent companies that they would need those projects. The party would be the perfect opportunity for it. Flynn was naturally well aware that if his plans worked out well, he would very certainly have to face the radical opposition of his parents. However, his choice was made and his resolution was firm.

"_You will use that opportunity to strengthen the relationship between our two families."_ Flynn's mother went on.

The blonde male froze at those words. "What would you like me to do?" he asked carefully, now dreading the answer which fell like a blade on him.

"_Sodia will expect you to present her with her engagement present at the end of the party. Girls like her love that kind of outcome, especially on occasions like New Year. The official engagement date is still to be discussed, though."_

Flynn remained silent for a second before reminding himself that his mother would certainly not appreciate not receiving a positive reply from him. However, he wasn't ready to give her satisfaction.

"Is the present already bought?" he stalled.

"_No, of course not. Sodia's mother and I will meet to decide on which kind of present would suit her daughter the most."_ The tone of Flynn's mother now reflected faint annoyance.

"Have you told Sodia yet?"

"_Naturally."_

"That is quite sudden." Flynn said as lightly as he could, though his trembling fingers betrayed him.

"_Sudden? Don't play dumb, Flynn. Your engagement was supposed to be announced on Christmas day. We are just postponing it by a week."_

"But I do remember Sodia requesting more time to think."

"_Her mother contacted me. Apparently the girl has not been feeling well lately, and the fact that you don't seem to care about it at all is unacceptable."_ Her voice turned cold. _"I don't think that I have to remind you how important our partnership with them is. They are going to become one of our first buyers of refined oil. Your neglecting her is putting me in a delicate situation and I had to cover for you when Sodia's mother asked me if you had anything to do with her daughter's current mood."_

"I met her recently, and I assure you that she was doing fine." Flynn replied, trying to keep calm. However, as he pronounced those words, he remembered that incident at the hospital, where Sodia had received a phone call that had put her in a troubled stated.

"_Then you must be blind. But this is not the point. The point is, the party will be your chance to repair whatever you did wrong with Sodia. And don't you dare mess that chance up."_

"Will that be all?" Flynn asked coldly, barely containing his anger.

"_That will be all. Goodbye, Flynn."_

As he hung up, Flynn almost smashed his phone on the floor out of sheer frustration.

He couldn't afford waiting until New Year to start taking actions. He was going to have to react much more quickly.

As he started pacing in the living room, deeply lost in thoughts and calculations, the ring of his phone interrupted him again, making him swear silently. However, his face soon displayed a troubled expression as he saw who was calling him.

Yuri.

He picked up, not really sure if his heart pounding against his chest was due to his irritation or something else.

"Good afternoon, Yuri."

"_Hey, Flynn."_

Awkward silence settled between them.

"Is there something you need?" Flynn eventually asked with a small sigh.

"_I just wanted to let you know that I've told Karol and Rita."_

"Oh." It had taken Flynn a full second before comprehending what Yuri was talking about. "What has been their reply?"

"_Rita basically punched me and yelled at me."_

Flynn blinked. Under other circumstances, the scene could have been comical. "I see." he merely replied. He still didn't want to sound too concerned towards Yuri.

Silence again.

"_Well I guess I'll leave you now. Sorry for bothering you."_

It was not hard for Flynn to guess the disappointment in Yuri's voice, and he immediately felt guilty for letting his previous irritation take over him.

"Yuri, you made a good choice by telling them."

"_Choice? I didn't really have a choice, did I?"_ Yuri chuckled. _"But thanks."_

"You could have chosen not to tell them."

"_But then you wouldn't have forgiven me."_

Flynn fell silent again at that reply, biting his lip.

"Yuri" he finally said, "You have to understand that whatever you do is pointless if you don't do it for the right reasons. I told you to talk to Rita and Karol because they deserved the truth, not because it'd make me happy."

"_I know, I know."_ Yuri replied with slight annoyance before sighing. _"Well, I guess I'll stop bothering you now. I've gotta take my shift anyway."_

"Yuri, I–"

"_I'll talk to you later, I'm already late."_ The hint of dryness in Yuri's tone didn't escape Flynn's attention.

He hit himself mentally as Yuri hung up. Why could he never find the right words to say when necessary?

* * *

><p>Sunday came like any other Sunday for Flynn, save for that tiny detail that was tempering his mood since morning. Since his mother had come to give him a jewel-case of bright red velvet. She had actually came herself, which had been a clear sign of how important the item was. It didn't require much brain to figure out what was inside the case, and thus Flynn's mother's words had been pretty superfluous: "For Sodia." she had said sternly.<p>

Now Flynn was staring blankly at the elegantly chiselled silver chain set with a single emerald. He sighed and closed the case, leaving it where his mother had put it, namely on the table of the living room. There was no use dwelling on this matter any longer; all he could he now was to keep working hard on his projects to counter his parents' plans for him.

Turning his attention back to his computer, he kept typing, glancing from time to time at the pile of documents beside him. The sky darkened quickly outside, and soon Flynn's stomach reminded him that he wasn't going to finish any project if he was in a state of starvation. Stretching his arms, he stood up and head for the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Then he'd order some food, as usual.

Not so long ago, he would have gone to the Square 9 for dinner. The thought of it filled Flynn with latent regret. Why couldn't he or Yuri be like any other normal students, caring only about school and parties? Life would have been much easier for both of them.

As he poured himself a cup of coffee, the intercom rang, making Flynn frown. He glanced at the clock. Who could it be at past 8 pm? Picking up the phone, he replied:

"Yes?"

"_It's Yuri. I just want to drop something at your place, I won't stay long."_

Flynn almost jumped as he recognized the voice. He hesitated a bit, then opened the door, trying to push back down the surfacing contentment in him. When Yuri arrived at the flat's door, Flynn noticed that despite the thick scarf hiding part of his face, he could still see Yuri's red nose and cheeks. The weather had been particularly rough today.

"I ended my shift early today, so I figured I'd drop by your place to give you this." the long-haired male said as he handed Flynn a plastic bag. It was warm and quite heavy, Flynn noticed as he took the bag, and the smell escaping from it left no doubt on the content.

"Curry beef, with extra green pepper." Yuri commented. "Hope you'll like it."

"Th-Thank you, Yuri." Flynn replied, slightly troubled. "You didn't have to–"

"I made too much of it at the restaurant, so I might as well give it to someone or it'd have ended in the trash can." Yuri shrugged. "Well, I'm off then." he added as he started moving away from the door, but Flynn stopped him.

"Yuri, wait." he hesitated a bit, then went on: "At least come in a few minutes and warm up. I've made coffee."

"Nah, it's fine. I'll–"

"Stop being so stubborn and just come in." Flynn cut him in, annoyed.

Yuri stared in surprised at the other boy, then nodded and stepped in. It sure was much warmer inside. He sat down on the sofa and removed his scarf, but kept his coat on while Flynn was preparing a second cup of coffee.

"You were studying?" Yuri suddenly asked, looking at the pile of documents next to Flynn's laptop.

"More or less." Flynn replied evasively. "I'm working on some extra projects."

"Ah." Yuri merely replied. He then mumbled something to himself but Flynn could have sworn he had heard the words 'must be completely mad'. A faint smile graced his lips. Putting two steaming cups on a tray, he brought it to the living room and put it on a corner of the table which wasn't covered with papers. Grabbing a cup, he sat down on an armchair in front of Yuri.

It was at that moment that he noticed that the flashy jewel-case was still there and he immediately cursed himself for not putting it somewhere else. Hopefully Yuri wouldn't ask about it.

"What's this?" Yuri pointed at the scarlet box.

Too late.

"That's... nothing important." Flynn replied, trying hard to conceal his uneasiness.

"Looks quite flashy for something not important." Yuri said lightly before letting out a small sigh. "I'm not an idiot, I can recognize a jewel-case when I see one. And I can also guess that it's not for you." He paused for a second before asking the fated question: "It's for your fiancée, right?"

Flynn averted his eyes. "Yuri, she's not my fiancée." Those words were followed by a short, mocking laugh.

"Yeah, right. Damn it, it looks like I've been wasting my time here trying to make it up to you." Yuri said wryly as he stood up and grabbed his scarf.

"Yuri, wait! It's not–" Flynn started as he stood up hurriedly from his armchair to stop the other boy.

"It's not what?" Yuri asked angrily, turning to Flynn. "It's not what I think? Then what the hell is it? If you don't want me with you anymore, you should have said so from the beginning and I'd have stopped bothering you! If you prefer staying with Sodia then fine! I'll leave you alone! Just let me tell you that it's definitely not the smartest choice you've ever made in your life, though."

Yuri gave him a last, hurt look then turned round again and started striding to the door. He had to leave as quickly as he could before letting the truth about Sodia slip out. It was better if he didn't made things worse by revealing unnecessary details. Deep inside, he knew that this was the most probably – and sensible – outcome for both of them; yet, it didn't loosen the invisible knot in his stomach.

Flynn, on his side, was facing an inward storm beating furiously in him. Yuri's words torn him apart, but it was nothing compared with the intensity of the dejection he read in Yuri's eyes.

Doubts suddenly vanished from his mind and he cast aside any hesitation. Running to Yuri, he grabbed his wrist and pulled him in his arms, locking him in a tight embrace. Even with the coat, Flynn was certain that Yuri could feel his quick heartbeats against his chest.

"Don't leave yet." he murmured at his ear.

Yuri was standing stiff, eyes opened wide. He wasn't hallucinating. Flynn was holding him. He was asking him to stay. It couldn't be true.

"I _do_ want you with me, Yuri. So please, stay by my side." Flynn kept murmuring softly.

"But Sodia–"

"She doesn't matter." Flynn replied, tightening his embrace around Yuri. "It was a scheme from my mother. She brought the necklace to me, demanding that I give it to Sodia."

He waited for an answer, which didn't come. Therefore he pulled back slightly and his eyes met with Yuri's. The latter still looked incredulous and Flynn couldn't blame him for it. There was a simple way to show Yuri his true feelings.

Grabbing the dark-haired male's face between his hands, he pressed their lips together, without forcing. Yuri didn't react at first, but then after a while, he finally yielded and returned the kiss, his arms slowly moving up around Flynn's back. How many times had he dreamt to once again feel Flynn's lips against his? And how much had he missed the barest touch, the slightest brush from the blonde boy on his skin?

Flynn broke the kiss, his palms still cupping Yuri's warm cheeks. Their foreheads touched, a smile flickered and Flynn closed the gap between them again. His hand slipped in the cascade of ebony hair, reminding him how much he liked the feeling on those silky strands between his fingers. Yuri started becoming fiercer as if to make up for all the time they had wasted. Chills ran down both boys' bodies as they sought each other's warmth. Each of their kisses tasted relief; relief of seeing that their longing for each other was equally shared, that the silent suffering they had endured could finally find reciprocal soothing in each other's arms.

As they pulled apart again, no word was pronounced and for several minutes, only the faint sound of their breathings could be heard.

"You know you haven't chosen the easiest path, Flynn." Yuri finally spoke, slipping a hand in the other boy's hair and stroking the rebel strands.

"Blame yourself for seducing me." Flynn replied. It made Yuri snort.

"Right. And then? What do we do now?"

"How about you stay over tonight?"

It took Flynn several seconds to understand the meaning of the strange look he received from Yuri, and a gust of panic swept through him.

"I-I mean, there's a spare bedroom so I thought you'd prefer staying here for the night since it's dark and cold outside." he added hastily, barely able to hide his embarrassment.

"Of course you meant that, I'm not stupid." Yuri teased him back. "The way you put it was funny, though. But well, I guess I'll take on your offer." he added with a smile.

It felt incredibly good having one problem down, Yuri realized. And even if his mind wasn't void of concerns for the future, he decided it wasn't the time to worry about them.

It was better enjoying the present time while he still could.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N:**** Back from Hamburg \o/ Despite my zombie-state and other school worries, I bring you the latest chapter. I also wanna thank Celice Chalphy for the Flyuri drawing she made *_* Have a look at it in my profile.****  
><strong>


	24. December 5th to 16th

**December 5****th**** to 16****th**

It felt strange for Yuri to step into the lecture hall, knowing that the lecturer would be Raven Schwann. He hadn't seen the man since his last visit at the hospital and wasn't really sure about the attitude he was supposed to show in front of him. It was still hard imagining that his flirty teacher had actually been a man of the underground world, and a close friend of Don Whitehorse. Even harder was to know that he was in Raven's debt.

It was thanks to him that Yuri had avoided any problem with the official authorities, and though it was with unhidden reluctance, he had to admit that he was grateful for it. The thought of the debt automatically shifted to a much less pleasant one: the favour he owed Yeager and the fact that the latter had wanted him dead. The uncertainties about what Yeager could do in the future were putting Yuri in a permanent state of uneasiness, even if he never really showed it. For now, there was no sign of activity from the Leviathan's Claw, but it was precisely what was troubling Yuri.

With a sigh, he dropped his bag on a table and sat down, barely noticing Raven's gaze following him all this time. The lecture was over before Yuri even noticed it, as he had barely paid any attention to it. It was only when he saw the other students gathering their stuff that he imitated them. On his way out of the hall, Raven stopped him:

"Yuri, a word if you please."

The long-haired boy rolled his eyes upon hearing the man call him by his first name but walked back anyway. "If it's about the lectures I missed, then–"

"It's not." Raven interrupted him with an impatient shake of the head. "I just wanted to ask you if everything is fine. And I'm not talking about your health."

Yuri stared at him for a second before shrugging. "Yeah, everything's fine. For now, at least."

As expected, Raven didn't look particularly reassured by the answer. "The Don's men haven't noticed anything new from the Claw either." he said.

"Wait, you're asking them to keep a look on Yeager?" Yuri asked, frowning.

"Don't worry about it. It's not only for you." Raven replied with an amused smile. "Whitehorse has been nourishing suspicions about Yeager for a little while. Your case has only been a pretext to trigger a closer watch on the Claw."

"Alright. Anyway, I was wondering..." Yuri hesitated a bit before going on: "What do you want in exchange for keeping me out of trouble?"

Raven blinked several times before letting out a short laugh. He then patted the boy's shoulder with a sigh which was probably supposed to be tragic, but the faint smile on his lips made it comical.

"Yuri, Yuri. Do I look like I'm expecting anything from you? If that can reassure you, I had nothing else in mind than your safety when I saved your neck back then."

"That sounds even more suspicious." Yuri narrowed his eyes.

"Well, if you insist, you can actually do me a favour." Raven displayed a pensive expression.

"I'm listening."

"Try to avoid trouble from now on. And inform me immediately if anything happens. I gave you my phone number. Don't hesitate to use it if necessary."

"You already told me that at the hospital." Yuri replied sullenly.

"But I wasn't convinced by your answer at that time."

"Why do you care that much anyway?"

"Because you're one of my students, that's why." Raven replied very seriously.

"What, that's all? No hidden reason that you wouldn't want me to learn of?" Yuri sneered.

"Your question is redundant. If a reason is hidden, it's of course because one doesn't want other people to know of it." Raven replied very philosophically.

"Whatever." Yuri grumbled. "If you have nothing else to add, I'll be leaving to my next class."

"Not so fast. So, you promise me that you'll stay out of trouble and inform me if anything comes up?"

"... Yeah." Yuri replied reluctantly.

"Very well. Then you may go." Raven dismissed him.

Yuri didn't wait to be told twice to run off, but not to his next class as he had stated, for the simple reason that the said class was only in the afternoon. He ran to the library, where a familiar figure was waiting for him at the entrance.

"Flynn!" he called out as he hurried to the blonde boy. "You could have waited inside." he added.

"And you shouldn't run while your wound hasn't completely recovered yet." Flynn retorted reproachfully. "Shall we go?"

"Oh, shut up. My wound is fine." Yuri replied as both boys started heading for the university's gates. Flynn had offered to spend some time together between classes at a café next to the school, which Yuri had decreed to be an excellent idea.

On their ways to the café, Yuri glanced several times at Flynn with something that looked like a faint yet visibly smug smile on his lips. It didn't go unnoticed by Flynn who ended up asking with a sigh:

"What is it?"

"Hm?" Yuri pretended innocently.

"What's with that conceited face?"

"Conceited? You're hurting me."

"Yuri..."

"Fine, fine. I'll tell you. I was just recalling how adorable you look when you're sleeping. Totally not like the impeccable Flynn Scifo that the whole university adores." Yuri replied, his smirk stretching.

Flynn froze on the spot, turning perplexed eyes to the other boy. "When did you even see me sleep?"

"This morning, naturally." Yuri shrugged as he kept on walking, soon followed by Flynn who didn't look less surprised.

"Wait, you sneaked into my room?"

"Let's say I woke up early and was a bit bored. You actually look quite hot with messy hair all over." Yuri said as he ruffled the blonde's hair, much to the latter's annoyance.

"Yuri, stop that!" Flynn waved Yuri's hand away, and though there was no anger in his voice, there was definitely embarrassment.

"I'm just teasing you, don't take it too seriously!" Yuri laughed. "Anyway, is this the place?" he asked, pointing at a café in front of him.

The blonde boy looked at where Yuri was pointing and nodded. "Yes, it's here. It doesn't look too full, we will have some peace."

As they entered, Yuri spotted a table in a corner and soon enough, both boys were putting their orders to the waitress. Two minutes later, steaming cups – coffee and hot chocolate respectively – were warming up the boys' hands, next to plates of cakes.

"Yuri." Flynn suddenly spoke out. "There's something I think you may be interested in knowing."

"Oh? And what could that be?" the dark-haired male asked with curiosity.

"I told you about the extra projects I'm working on, didn't I?" As Yuri nodded, Flynn went on: "Actually, they aren't school projects. What I'm working on is aimed at companies. I have no intention of following the path my parents have decided for me, but first I have to show them that I can stand on my own. The projects on which I'm working will be the first step towards starting my own business." he finished, looking very seriously at Yuri.

The latter was staring back at him silently, and for a second, Flynn feared that Yuri considered him insane. However, when the latter spoke again, it was merely to ask:

"You're really serious about this?"

"I am." Flynn nodded firmly.

"Why? I mean, you've always told me you had no choice but to inherit your parents' business and... marry that girl." Yuri finished, looking away with clear dissatisfaction at the thought of 'that girl'.

"Yes, I did tell you that, Yuri. But I've changed my mind. _You_ made me change my mind." Flynn added with a faint smile. "You were right all along about deciding how I should lead my own life. And to be honest, after seeing you struggling all those years and still being able to make it work out somehow, I felt ashamed at myself for merely sitting there and blaming my parents for my own fate."

"Flynn, there's really nothing to boast about my life." It was Yuri's turn to show embarrassment. He hadn't expected Flynn to speak about personal matters in a public place – no matter how uncrowded. "Nothing glorious or–"

"I know, Yuri. I know." The other boy cut him in. "But my point is, I'm going to work hard to handle my life the way I want to. And Yuri, I'm also doing this because I definitely don't want to marry Sodia." he added with a chuckle. "So, what do you think?"

Yuri opened his mouth but no word came out immediately, not because he didn't know what to say, but rather because he had too much to say. Flynn was willingly going against his parents? And above all, he was openly stating his disapproval of the engagement? The Flynn he had met a few months ago would have never even imagined such possibilities. And yet now... And it was because of Yuri. Yuri had been the one to make Flynn change. It took him several seconds to put order in his thoughts.

"I think you like choosing the toughest paths." he finally declared with a sly smile. "But I like it. I'll support you however I can. If you need help for anything, just tell me. What are those projects about anyway?"

"Oh, it's about implementing new consultancy services directed towards electricity markets, as I've noticed that most companies dealing with energy are often ignorant in that area. I've noticed that there are some strategies that can be adopted to–"

"Flynn. I take back my question. Actually I don't want to know." Yuri stopped his friend with a finger on the latter's lips. "You've barely spoken for three seconds and I'm already having a headache."

Surprise painted on the blonde boy's face, followed by a falsely disapproving look. As Yuri removed his finger, Flynn replied:

"And here I thought you wanted to help me." he pretended to be upset.

"I'd ruin your whole business if I were to put my nose in it, honestly." Yuri shrugged. "You know how much I like using my brain on useless stuff like that."

"You're probably right. Which reminds me, you must have exams coming soon?"

Yuri pulled a face at the question, making Flynn chuckle. "I'll take that as a yes. Do you think you'll manage?"

"Yeah. No big deal." the long-haired male waved off the question.

"Oh? That's some confidence you are showing."

Yuri smirked. "Maybe I'm smarter than I look. But I didn't come here with you to talk about boring topics. Tell me your plans for Christmas break."

"For Christmas? Usually we go to one of my cousins' with my parents for Christmas Eve, and then there's the New Year's party." Flynn avoided mentioning that he was supposed to give Sodia her present on that day. "And I'll keep working. That's about all."

"Really? And here I imagined you flying somewhere sunny and lazying all day on a beach. That's boring."

"Don't be ridiculous, Yuri. What about you?"

"I guess I'll drop by the orphanage."

"They'll be happy to see you." Flynn replied with a sincere smile. "I'm sure you'll enjoy your time there."

Yuri didn't reply at once, looking deeply in thought. Then he asked: "How about you come too? And stay for Christmas and New Year with us?"

Flynn raised his eyebrows, definitely not expecting the offer. "I-I'm not sure it's a good idea." he replied with some hesitation. "I mean, I have barely met Pia once and–"

"–And that was enough for her to like you." Yuri finished. "Come on, I'm sure she won't mind. The more, the merrier."

"I can't for New Year. The party is something I have to attend." Flynn replied after a second of silence. "There will be company executives there, and it'll be my opportunity to talk to them."

"About your projects?" Yuri asked, earning a nod from the other boy. "Fine, then what about Christmas? You said you go to your cousin for Christmas Eve, but what about Christmas itself?"

"I guess that should be possible." Flynn nodded again with a smile.

Yuri's face lit up at the answer. "Great! Ah, one more detail..." he paused for a second, searching for a right way to speak his mind, before going on, though a bit hesitantly: "No one there knows about us. I... have told no one, and I think for now it'd be better if we didn't–"

"I know, Yuri. And I understand, don't worry about that." Flynn replied reassuringly.

Yuri nodded in relief. Although he knew they couldn't spend their entire lives hiding their relationship, for now it was the best choice for both of them. At least they could still pretend to be close friends in front of the others.

* * *

><p>Raven folded the newspaper at the page he was reading and dropped it on his desk. The headline showed in bold letters: "Alexei Dinoia appointed captain of the national security authorities". A humourless smile painted his lips. The man was climbing the steps of hierarchy steadily, extending his area of influence and power. Having Alexei as an ally was a great asset; however, it was never pleasant to be in his debt, particularly when the debt could be repaid with nothing but one's own life.<p>

Raven unconsciously rested his hand over his chest, where his heart was beating mechanically, reminding him all too well that it wasn't supposed to beat anymore. His phone rang, snatching him away from his brooding.

"Raven Schwann." he said as he picked up the phone.

"_Did you see the news about Alexei?"_ a feminine voice asked without beating about the bush.

"Judy dear! What a pleasure to hear you." Raven exclaimed cheerfully before dropping his tone immediately: "And yes, I did. Quite expected, I'd say."

"_And guess who called me to ask me to go back to my former job?"_

Surprise flashed in Raven's eyes but he quickly regained his composure. "He actually did that?"

"_Yes. Well, not him directly, but his assistant Khroma."_

"What was your answer?"

"_I declined the offer, naturally. I just wanted to inform you just so you don't get too surprised if she gets in touch with you too."_

"Come on Judy, who would like to recruit an old man like me?" Raven said jokingly.

"_I'm serious, Raven."_

"I know." he replied with a sigh. "Well, thank you for the warning."

"_Something else is bothering me on this case."_

"The fact that Alexei chose to transfer his new headquarters from the capital to here?"

"_Exactly. Why would he choose to stay here? It's not like the location is remote, but moving to the capital would have been the most logical choice."_

"I don't know, Judy dear, but I can only hope that it's merely for attachment purposes."

"_And I can only hope that you're right. Anything new on Yuri's side?"_

"Nothing yet. And nothing from Altosk either, so I guess for now we can assume that we'll get some peace."

"_Let's hope it will continue like this. Well, I'll talk to you later then."_

"Hey hey, not so quick! How about a drink tomorrow?"

"_Alright."_ Judith replied with a chuckle. _"I guess I can spare ten minutes during my shift for a coffee, if you pay."_

"That's being very stingy." Raven took an offended tone. "Usual time, usual place?"

"_Sure. See you then, Raven."_

Even if the perspective of having a drink with Judith was lightening his mood, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the news brought by her.

Well, with a bit of luck, Alexei would indeed find no interest in an old man like him.

* * *

><p>Yeager put down the phone on the table, though behind his apparent coolness was concealed deep worry. The moment he had heard the voice on the other end of the line, he had recognized it immediately and had known that the conversation would definitely not take a pleasant turn. The Claw's leader had seen the news earlier in the morning, of course, yet he had not expected to receive a call from the new captain of the national security authorities himself right on the same day. And he had certainly not expected the task that the latter had demanded from him.<p>

Worst of all, Yeager couldn't refuse. Alexei had a very simple leverage over him: Gauche and Droite. Even now, Alexei's words still echoed in his head: _'You wouldn't want anything to happen to your two protégées, would you?'_

As if the answer wasn't obvious enough. Yeager crossed his arms and started pacing back and forth in his room. The task which Alexei had described to him wasn't trivial, and if he got caught, he was ready to bet that being threatened would not be a valid reason enough. Gathering information was one of his specialties, but this time, it was different. The target was different.

It was what intrigued him the most. Why would Alexei suddenly want him to do an accurate report of the whole network of weapon and drug dealing of the whole region? Couldn't his elite team do the job? _'You have your ways through the underground world that my team has not.'_ had been Alexei's answer.

Easy to say. No matter the connections, it wasn't easy to infiltrate networks of illegal trafficking. Yeager couldn't afford asking for Altosk's help either, as Alexei had requested the task to be performed as discreetly as possible. Why? That was one of the questions that didn't find any answer. However, it wasn't difficult to guess that Alexei was planning something pretty big.

Was it his newly acquired rank that was going to his head? Yeager doubted it. Alexei wasn't the kind of man to let power overcome him; if anything, it was rather the opposite. Alexei held and controlled power. Ever since he had joined the police, from the first time Yeager had met him, he had known that Alexei was that kind of man.

Yeager stopped pacing. The time wasn't for philosophical reflections anymore. The quicker he was done with his job, the better.

* * *

><p>It didn't happen very often, but once in a while, Yuri could be seen sitting at the library and reading his lecture notes. It usually happened on the days he had an exam. Knowing that fact, Flynn silently approached him from behind, leant over and whispered at his ear:<p>

"Good luck, Yuri."

The long-haired boy didn't even jump – it would take much more than that to take him by surprise – and he merely shrugged.

"I'll pass."

"How can you be so sure?" Flynn asked as he sat down at the same table, in front of Yuri.

"I told you, maybe I'm not as bad as you think." Yuri replied with a smirk. He checked his watch. "Flynn, you have a horrible timing. I need to run to my exam now."

"Too bad, I wanted to see you a bit."

"How about you come at the pub tonight? It's been a long time."

But the other boy shook his head. "I can't. I'm rehearsing with the orchestra, and after that I want to work a bit for my exam tomorrow, so I'm afraid I won't have time to come." he explained apologetically.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then." Yuri replied, concealing his disappointment. As he stood up and grabbed his bag, he noticed Flynn doing the same. "Aren't you staying to study?" he asked.

"I'll accompany you to your exam hall." Flynn smiled. "I did say I came here to see you, but you're right, I had a horrible timing. You didn't tell me when your exam was, though, so you can blame yourself a bit for this."

Yuri snorted at the remark, though he was secretly pleased by the fact that Flynn had come especially to see him. Both students exited the library quietly and got ready to face the unkind weather awaiting them outside. Small snowflakes were being whipped away by the strong wind, making it even harder for people to walk; fortunately the building in which Yuri's exam was held wasn't too far away. Once in front of the door to the hall, Flynn read the sign on it: 'Sciences and civilizations examination – December 15th, 1pm - 5pm'

"It's Raven Schwann's course, isn't it?" he asked. As Yuri nodded, the blonde went on: "I still can't believe that your teacher is actually... well, not really one."

"Same for me. But what can I say? He kind of saved my life, I'm not going to complain."

"You're right." Flynn gently stroked Yuri's back. "Well, good luck again."

"Too bad there are people in the corridor. I wouldn't have refused some good luck charm from you." the dark-haired male replied. Seeing Flynn's confused expression, Yuri smirked and ran the tip of his tongue over his lips invitingly. It was enough for Flynn to understand and cough of embarrassment.

"Just focus on your exam for now." he said reproachfully, pushing Yuri into the exam hall.

"Fine, fine. But really, you need to learn how to loosen up a bit." Yuri teased the blonde boy right before the latter shut the door in a not-so-gentle way. Yes, Flynn definitely needed to loosen up, Yuri thought with amusement.

* * *

><p>Friday afternoon marked the beginning of Christmas break, and the mass of students chatting excitedly about their plans was the sign that the break had been long awaited. The sky was already turning dark, but all the Christmas decorations on the street lamps, walls and trees were putting a joyous atmosphere to the whole city.<p>

Karol was probably one of those who had been looking forward to the break the most. The boy was almost jumping in excitement, telling to whoever wanted to listen his joy that the exams were finally over.

"And I'll be able to sleep over every morning too!" he added, making Estellise chuckle.

"By the way, what are your plans, Estelle?" Rita asked the girl.

"I will go visit my grandparents and we will spend Christmas and New Year with them." she replied. "Like every year. My aunt, uncle and cousins will be there too. It's a tradition to gather the whole family at this time of the year."

"That must be nice to have huge family meetings like that!" Karol exclaimed. "You're gonna visit your family too, Flynn?"

Yuri gave a quick glance at the blonde male but the latter didn't look too uncomfortable with the question. It was with a very light tone that he replied:

"We will spend Christmas Eve by some cousins. And we will probably go to the capital for New year."

"You don't look particularly rejoiced at the perspective." Karol pointed out.

"We do that every year, so it's a sort of habit." Flynn replied, smiling.

"You'll come for Christmas though, right? Yuri told us so!"

"I'm still not sure." Flynn replied hesitantly. "I don't want to impose or anything, that–"

"Oh come on!" Rita cut him in. "You're Yuri's best buddy and you've been hanging out with us all the time, so don't start making your shy princess now."

"Told you so, Flynn." Yuri sneared.

The blonde boy sighed, then smiled. "Alright. Then I'll come."

"Too bad you won't be there, Estelle!" Karol added to the pink-haired girl. The latter shook her head and smiled.

"It's fine, I like visiting my family since I don't see most of them that often. But you will have a lot of fun together, I'm sure."

The small group of students kept on chatting until it was time for everyone to go their separate ways after countless wishes of happy holidays. Yuri had to hurry back home to drop his stuff and then go work. He had managed to make Flynn promise to drop by the pub though, which was putting him in a good mood.

However, as he soon reached his place, he spotted a silhouette leaning against the wall of the building, unnoticed by the other walkers-by. Yuri didn't have any trouble recognizing the pale green strands of hair falling out from the person's hat. His body tensed up immediately, and suddenly the scar on his side started itching him. He slowed down, approaching the silhouette cautiously and glancing at several places in case anything happened.

Chances that something actually happened were low though, as the street was quite crowded, but Yuri had learnt to be more cautious than required. The green-haired girl seemed to have noticed him, for she pushed herself from the wall and turned to face him. The scarf around her neck was also hiding a part of her face, so that Yuri couldn't tell her expression. Droite.

"Yuri." she greeted him. "I have a message for you from Yeager." she said with no other ceremony.

"What is it?" Yuri asked dryly.

"You have to repay the favour we made you."

"Are you kidding?" Yuri stared at Droite with cold eyes. "He expects me to repay him even after trying to get me _killed_?"

Droite seemed to flinch slightly at the question, though she quickly regained her composure. "That doesn't change the fact that you had a deal with us."

"Oh but I think it _does_ change it." Yuri retorted. "I don't remember any part of the deal mentioning that I'd end up being killed."

"The deal was only for us to find you Zagi, which we did."

"Yeah, you did. And you also warned him that I was after him." Yuri snapped back. "Listen, Droite. All that time when I was in the Claw, never once did I see Yeager make dirty deals like this. But now apparently you've changed. I didn't expect you to trick me like that, even after I left."

"Yuri, we didn't know!" Droite protested, and she sounded sincere. "I swear, Gauche and I didn't know that Yeager and Zagi had been plotting!"

"You'll excuse me if I find it hard to believe you."

"It's true, Yuri, I assure you." Droite repeated, almost pleading.

"Assuming that you didn't know, it doesn't change the fact that you're still working for him." Yuri pointed out.

"We... You know we cannot leave him." the girl replied, hesitating a bit. "We cannot leave the one man who raised us like his daughters. But Yuri, I haven't come to talk about this. I've come to tell you that Yeager wants his favour repaid."

"And I already told you that there's no way I'm going to involve myself with someone who tried to kill me."

Droite fell silent for a second before going on: "Won't you reconsider your answer?" she asked.

"No."

She sighed. "Fine. It was to be expected. In this case, I have another message for you: if you don't cooperate, or if you try to tell anyone about this, something unpleasant may happen to your friends."

Yuri opened his eyes wide and his blood froze at the last sentence. "You wouldn't dare!"

But Droite merely looked away with a resigned expression on her traits. Yuri felt slow fury rise in him, and his fists clenched.

"Just how low do you intend to play?"

"We only do whatever it takes to achieve our goals, that has always been our motto, Yuri." Droite replied. "I don't particularly like it either, but we have no choice. Please Yuri, you have to understand."

Anger was preventing Yuri from speaking, though his brain was working at full speed. If he refused, then Yeager would hurt his friends. Karol. Rita. Estelle. Perhaps even Pia.

And Flynn.

The mere idea that something could happen to all of them was enough to make Yuri's blood boil. However, even if he cooperated, nothing guaranteed him that Yeager would leave his friends alone. Then there was the option of telling Raven, but gosh, was he really going to run to the older man like a kid as soon as a problem occurred? And would he be able to act before Yeager? In any case, he needed more details.

"What does he want from me?" he finally asked.

"He needs you to do a certain job for him. I can't tell you the details here, but I can tell you it's information gathering."

"Is that all?" Yuri asked, slightly surprised. He had expected something more... frightening.

"Yes. Once you are done, we'll be even."

"What tells me he won't try to get me killed again? He made it clear enough that he wanted me to pay for leaving the Claw."

"That's only because... he thought he had found a replacement for you. But since Zagi got caught, I think he finds it wiser to use your skills to serve his purposes."

Yuri didn't reply immediately, even if the decision was obvious. For now he didn't have much choice anyway. And if the job was easy, then once he was done with it, he would be definitely done with the Claw.

"Fine. I accept." he said.

Droite nodded. "Meet us tomorrow at 9 pm at the usual place for the details." she said before turning away and disappearing in the night.

Great. Yuri would have to ask for another day off. Yet for now, he still had to go work, and meet Flynn. He would also have to pretend that everything was fine.

So much for hoping to spend a nice break.

**xxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Short chapter and stuff, but I hope you liked it anyway. And right now RL and human stupidity is making me want to blow up a few buildings, so bear with me with maybe slower updates. I promise I'll do my best to bring you nice chapters, though. *waves and goes back to making bombs***


	25. Merry Christmas

**December 17****th to 29th**

The lack of light in the lower quarters and the absence of clouds in the pitch black sky were a perfect combination if one wanted to observe the stars on that winter night. However, Yuri wasn't there for stargazing. Burying half his face in his scarf, he checked his watch which now indicated 9 pm and glanced at the corner of the street. Right on time.

Gauche and Droite appeared, as wrapped up in layers of warm clothes than he was.

"Good evening, Yuri." Gauche greeted. "Follow us. Yeager wants to explain the details to you himself. In a warmer place."

Even if Yuri stiffened at the mention of meeting Yeager face to face, he couldn't approve more of moving into a warm place; therefore he followed the two girls with a nod. He didn't have any trouble recognizing the pub he was led to: it was the one owned by the Claw and where most members gathered for drinks and information, in a similar way to Altosk. As he stepped inside the building, he was relieved to see that no one was really paying attention to him. Some people waved at the girls and greeted them while the others kept chatting and drinking.

Yuri almost envied those persons for not knowing how their leader was turning. He could see himself, barely a year ago, still believing that Yeager, despite acting like a vigilante, only had the care and safety of the Claw's members in mind. Apparently it was still the impression he was giving away, but since the whole Zagi issue, Yuri couldn't bring himself to wonder if he wasn't actually the cause of Yeager's changing.

The dark-haired boy shook his head mentally. Nah, a single person like him couldn't influence a man like Yeager that much. Dismissing the thought, he followed Gauche and Droite upstairs where the atmosphere was more animated, with people laughing and chatting happily. It was like the Claw's second headquarters.

And over there, comfortably settled on a sofa and a glass of spirit in his hand was Yeager. His natural elegant bearing was still the same as ever, and Yuri would have smiled if the circumstances had been less serious. The man was in the middle of a discussion with a few other people, yet as soon as he spotted Yuri, he motioned them to leave him alone.

"Come, and please stay calm." Gauche said, turning concerned eyes to Yuri. A bit hesitantly, she added: "I-We know that you have good reasons to dislike him now, but please don't start a fight or anything here."

"Just agree to the job he'll give you without making a fuss." Droite advised. "And it'll be fine."

"I'm not an idiot." Yuri retorted, rolling his eyes. "Tell me just one thing: you two swear you really didn't know that Yeager had plotted with Zagi?"

The dejection he read in both girls' eyes was confirmation enough. Gauche shook her head.

"We were as surprised as you, Yuri." she said. "But the fact that you left the Claw is still not well seen, and somehow I can understand Yeager's reaction."

"Whatever." Yuri shrugged as they approached the table where Yeager was. The latter stared at him, then greeted him with a smile as if they were old friends.

"Yuri! Please have a seat." he invited him. The boy complied and sat in front of Yeager while the girls took their seats on both sides of the man. "It's been such a long time, don't you think? How have you been doing?"

"Quite well, until recently when some idiot decided to stab me. I heard that you may know that idiot." Yuri replied casually, though the hint of sarcasm in his tone didn't go unnoticed.

"Do I? Ah well, this is the past now. Let's talk about the present." Yeager said lightly. "And the present requires you to repay me a favour."

Yuri had to call forth all his willpower in order to stifle the sharp reply that was burning his tongue. A quick glance at Gauche and Droite showed that they were watching him tensely, as if they feared that Yuri would start trouble.

"This is for you." Yeager went on as he produced a large envelope and put it on the table. Yuri took it and opened it carefully.

Inside were a photograph and what looked like a report of a few pages. On the photograph was a man who looked in his thirties despite his light grey hair, not bad-looking at all. He was surrounded by journalists and photographers and a calm and serious smile was adorning his face. From the mere picture, Yuri could guess that the man had certainly a lot of charisma and authority. Frowning, Yuri took a quick look at the report and read the first line which gave away the identity of the man: Alexei Dinoia.

The name rang a bell, yet Yuri couldn't remember where he had already heard it.

"Do you know him?" Yeager asked. As the boy shook his head, he went on: "He's the new captain of the national security authorities. Formerly the head of the police here."

"Oh." So it was probably why the name sounded familiar to Yuri. Still, he had a hunch that he had heard the name very recently, and not from the news. "So?"

"So he has requested an unusual investigation from me. I want to know his reasons."

"What kind of investigation?" Yuri asked.

"He wants accurate information on the drug and weapon dealing network of the region. The problem is that we have connections – not deep, but still – with that network, which means that our spying on them could be seen as double-crossing. Alexei knows that, and in spite of it, he asked for that information. What he has refused to tell me however, is why he has suddenly decided to ask for our services."

"Probably because you're more efficient than them." Yuri shrugged.

"Oh, I fear you don't know the man." Yeager replied darkly. "He is one you do not want to make an enemy of. Why do you think this city has one of the lowest criminality rates of the whole country?"

"Why don't you simply refuse? If he's as efficient as you say, he can do the job by himself."

"Yuri, Yuri." Yeager said with a dramatic sigh. "From all the time you have spent among us, you should know some reasons why one can sometimes not refuse a request."

Yuri didn't reply immediately. He crossed his arms and leant against the back of his chair, thoughtful. So that Alexei had some leverage on Yeager? That was interesting. Now he was curious to know what kind of leverage.

"That sounds fishy, indeed. So you want me to spy on him?" he eventually asked.

"In the report you will find a description of his routine as well as places he frequently goes to, along with some other information." Yeager replied. "I want to know the plans he has in mind. It seems that since he got his new promotion, strange ideas are going through his head. I have provided him with the information he wanted, but it was very risky to obtain, and it could become delicate for us if the source of the leakage were to be revealed."

"It may take time for me to find anything." Yuri said slowly as his face turned grim. He definitely did not like the job.

He had a life now, a real one, and he highly doubted that being caught spying on someone as important as that Alexei Dinoia wouldn't attract him big troubles.

"I know that, and I hope for you that you haven't lost too much of your former skills." Yeager went on. "I want the information within the next fifteen days, that is to say on January 1st. From what I know, you aren't supposed to have school right now, so you can use your holidays for a good cause."

Yuri grunted. That wasn't his definition of a good cause, yet the quicker he managed to clear up his debt towards Yeager, the quicker he would be able to cut off those remaining chains binding him to the Claw.

"What if I don't manage within fifteen days?" he asked defiantly.

"Depending on your reasons, I'll either make sure you regret not working faster or give you extra time." Yeager replied as if it was the most natural thing to say. "However, for the latter to happen, you'd better have excellent reasons."

"Figured as much. Anything else I should know?"

"Ah, yes. You're doing this job alone, do you understand?" Yeager's tone had turned slightly more threatening. "Which means that no else but us should know about this."

"Well, of course." Yuri shrugged. "It's not like I can actually ask anyone to help me."

"Oh no? Not even Raven Schwann?" Yeager inquired, and a smirk of satisfaction appeared on his lips as Yuri jumped at the name.

"How do you know about–"

"Let's say he and I have been acquaintances for a long time. I know he was the one who saved your neck not so long ago. Apparently you made yourself a good ally, but this time, if I notice even the slightest hint that he's putting his nose in my business, you may start fearing for those close to you."

Yuri stood up abruptly and glared dangerously at Yeager. "Leave my friends alone. It's with me that you have a grudge, so keep the whole matter with me." his tone rose. Gauche and Droite looked ready to intervene if things got too heated.

"Oh but Yuri, I know you'll do your job much more efficiently if you know that something could happen to them."

"You're despicable. You would never use such dirty tricks a few years ago." Yuri retorted icily.

"Times change, Yuri. My methods change as well, in order to ensure the safety of my family here." Yeager made a large gesture around the room. "All the people you see here joined me because I can offer them to survive in a world that has ignored them. They trust me for that, and I can't afford betraying their trust."

"Enough of that crap. You make me sick." Yuri snapped back as he grabbed the envelope on the table. "You'll get your information within fifteen days, and you'd better keep away from my friends." he let out before striding away without a single glance behind him. The last thing he heard was Yeager exclaiming:

"Wonderful! I knew I could count on you, Yuri!"

The winter break was going to be quite unpleasant for Yuri.

* * *

><p>The winter break wasn't starting too badly for Flynn. He was progressing well on his projects and had even managed to get in touch with some companies which were starting to be interested in his propositions. Today was a clear and bright day, and the whole city was impregnated with a Christmas mood. From the large window of the living room, he could see many people on the streets, their arms loaded with bags of presents, and kids playing in the snow.<p>

A great day, indeed. The only shadow was that Yuri had declined his invitation to have lunch with him; the long-haired boy was apparently not feeling well today and no, Flynn didn't have to pay him a visit, thanks for offering anyway. More than the fact that Yuri was supposedly sick, it was the tone he had had as they talked to each other on the phone that troubled him. Flynn hoped that it was only his imagination, but Yuri had sounded somewhat bothered by something.

With all the events that had happened until now, Flynn had learnt to become suspicious of the tiniest detail, and it hurt him all the more as Yuri still seemed to be reluctant to talk to him. They were supposed to be going out together, weren't they? They were supposed to be lovers, and yet, Flynn still felt that there was something missing in that relationship of theirs. Sometimes doubt seized him and he would catch himself wondering how exactly Yuri felt towards him.

The blonde boy drummed distractedly on the table with a pen before putting it down abruptly. He needed to see Yuri.

* * *

><p>Yuri was still reading the report on Alexei when the intercom rang. Clicking his tongue of annoyance, he stood up from his desk and went to reply. He wasn't even sure anymore if he was surprised to hear Flynn's voice on the other side of the line, and though the first sentiment that surfaced was irritation, it was quickly overcome by silent happiness. How Flynn always managed to show up when Yuri needed it the most was still a mystery to him, but he wasn't going to complain about it.<p>

He quickly hid the envelope and waited at the door for Flynn to climb up. As he did, Yuri greeted him with a sly smile:

"I do remember telling you not to bother coming."

"What can I say? I wanted to see you." Flynn smiled back. "You don't look too sick in my opinion." he added as he quickly scanned Yuri.

"I said I wasn't feeling too well, but hey guess what? I just got better seeing you here." Yuri replied as he invited the other boy inside and closed the door behind them.

"Then I guess it wasn't a bad idea for me to come."

Flynn didn't have time to add anything else as he felt a body press against his back and a pair of arms snaking around his waist. Yuri's hot breath tickled his neck.

"Yuri! Wait at least for me to remove my coat." Flynn chuckled. Yuri's mere gesture of affection was enough to soothe the doubts he bore, as always. He almost felt guilty for actually doubting Yuri.

"Hmm, I'll remove it for you." The dark-haired male replied, kissing Flynn's neck while his hands were unbuttoning his coat. As he took it off Flynn's shoulders, he asked: "Well, since you're here, you'll stay for lunch?"

"I don't want to bother you for long. My first intention was just to make sure you were alright, since... you sounded a bit strange on the phone." Flynn replied as he turned to face his lover.

The latter dropped the coat on the bed next to him and moved closer to Flynn again, his arms deciding that Flynn's waist was a comfortable place to rest, after all.

"Strange? I just had a bit of a hoarse voice, I think." Yuri replied. "But it's fine now." And without adding another word, he leant forward into a kiss. Flynn gave in without any protest, his arms finding their way around Yuri's neck. His fingers gently slipped in the cascade of raven hair, enjoying its softness.

Perhaps it was because they never seemed to see each other enough, but the few opportunities they were given to be just the two of them always made Flynn crave for the other boy more than ever. And apparently the feeling was mutual.

It certainly was. No matter how many times Yuri tried to reason himself by thinking that it was best if he avoided getting too close to Flynn – for the latter's own safety – he would always find himself completely giving up on the idea at the mere sight of the blonde boy. If he had been told a few months ago that he would come to care for someone as much as he cared for Flynn, he would have shrugged the idea off, finding it funny at most.

And yet here he was, embracing and being embraced by Flynn Scifo, and not wanting to let go.

And he had been lying to Flynn continuously. For his sake's, maybe, but still. He had been lying about Zagi at first, then about Sodia, and now about the job Yeager had given him. A sad realization came to him as his lips were still on Flynn's: he didn't deserve Flynn. An uneasy feeling seized him, forcing him to break the kiss. Their foreheads were still touching, and Yuri could have melted when Flynn whispered his name in the most arousing way ever.

The blonde boy truly cared for him. Yuri couldn't count how many things Flynn had done to prove it. He had messed up with his family for him, he was working hard not to depend on his parents anymore, he had been constantly worrying about Yuri, he had forgiven his stupid actions, and above all, he was still willing to stay with Yuri in spite of his past, in spite of the damage it could have on his reputation.

And what had Yuri given him in exchange? Troubles. Only troubles. And lies.

He closed his eyes and sighed softly. He felt Flynn's palms cupping his cheeks.

"Yuri? Are you alright? Maybe you're sick, after all." Flynn inquired, frowning. But Yuri pulled away from him and sat on the edge of the bed, leaving Flynn perplexed. The other boy didn't reply immediately; he waited a few seconds before sighing again.

"Flynn, why exactly do you stick with me?" he asked, raising insecure eyes to the blonde male.

The question took the latter by surprise. He frowned, confused, then went to sit beside Yuri, resting a hand on his back.

"Yuri, why the sudden question?" he asked worriedly. "I stick with you because I want to."

"But why?" Yuri insisted. "I mean, so far I've brought you nothing but troubles, and you can't really say I'm the perfect example of the good boy."

Flynn pursed his lips, thinking of the right words to say. He wasn't sure what kind of words Yuri was expecting, so he decided to go the simple way. He simply had to tell the truth.

"You certainly have brought me a lot of troubles." he said with a chuckle. "At the beginning, I really thought you and I would never get along because we are so much different. But I guess it's because of it that I grew interested in you. Honestly, I couldn't understand the way you thought, and yet you managed to convince me that your way of dealing with things wasn't necessarily wrong, just... different. Though I still think that you were an idiot for trying to face Zagi on your own." Flynn added, not missing the pout on Yuri's face. "Anyway, the only thing I can say is that I'm relieved whenever you are around, because you remind me that my life belongs to me, and that it is possible to struggle to get what you want. Sometimes not being the perfect example of the good boy can actually not be that bad." Flynn paused for a second, then went on: "You know, if you weren't the troublemaker you are right now, I think I may have grown bored, and sincerely, I'm the one who wonders sometimes how _you_ cope with someone as dull as me."

Flynn stopped there, because it wasn't to his taste to start a long and cheesy speech on romantic issues. It would be too embarrassing for him anyway. Apparently it was still enough for Yuri, for his lips curled into a faint smile.

"Is that so?" he asked softly. "Damn, Flynn. You totally beat me." he added, suddenly shoving the blonde boy flat on the bed and leaning down to kiss him hungrily.

As they parted, Yuri's hair fell on both sides of Flynn's face. They smiled at each other. No word was added, for none was needed. They could read in each other's gaze the mutual understanding they sought and which couldn't be conveyed with words alone. For a moment it was as if they were lost in a separate world, just the two of them, one curling stray blonde locks distractedly while the other simply rested his hand on his lover's cheek.

It was Yuri who finally broke the charm:

"So, you're staying for lunch, Mr Perfect-and-Dull?"

As Flynn nodded, Yuri promised himself one thing: from now on, he would be honest towards Flynn.

* * *

><p>Raven put down his pen and massaged his temples. Marking a few kilos of exams had always been a pain for him, and when complaining about it to Judith, the latter would always make of fun of him. Almost a week had passed since the beginning of the break, and still the pile of papers didn't seem to lessen, much to his distress.<p>

He stretched his arms, deciding that a pause would be more than welcome. It was at that instant that his phone rang. The number was unknown. Probably a wrong number, Raven thought as he picked up the call with a sigh.

"Schwann speaking."

"_Mr Schwann, it's hm... It's Yuri Lowell."_

The middle-aged man opened his eyes in surprise, taking a full second to make sure he had heard the name correctly. He then remembered quickly that if Yuri was calling him, it was definitely not to have a nice chat.

"Good morning, Yuri. Did something happen?" he asked with no other ceremony.

"_You can say that."_ Yuri paused a second before going on:_ "Listen, I've been hesitating a lot but I guess I should stop acting like an idiot."_

"That's a good start." Raven mused. "So, what happened?"

"_Yeager contacted me."_ Yuri replied. _"The thing is, I'm not supposed to tell anyone. He threatened to harm my friends if I ever tell anyone."_ There was a new pause followed by a sigh, then: _"I'm not sure I can handle this alone, though. But the fact is, I don't want any of my friends hurt. So I'm not sure how you could help me on this one."_

"But you phoned me, so you at least hope that I can help you. Tell me what the problem is first, and then I'll see."

"_Yeager gave me a job to do. Basically by New Year he wants a report on the motives of a guy called Alexei Dinoia."_

Raven almost dropped the phone as he heard the name. "Alexei Dinoia? Why him?"

"_Apparently that guy asked Yeager to do some investigation about an underground network in the whole region, and Yeager thinks the request sounded fishy. He's not the only one, if you ask me. He told me Dinoia has enough means to get any information he wants by himself, but he still chose to ask the Claw. Hey, apparently the guy was the head of the police here, so maybe you know him."_

"Well, since Altosk always had that implicit agreement with the police not to mess with each other's business too much, I did meet Alexei once or twice." Raven replied carefully.

On the other end of the line, Yuri frowned. As soon as he heard Raven pronounce Alexei's name, something clicked in his head.

It was Raven. He had heard Alexei's name from Raven. It all came back to him in an instant. It was on that night with Zagi, and Raven had been talking to Judith about Alexei. Yuri tried to remember what exactly he had said about the man, but his memories failed him.

"_Yuri? You're still there?"_

"Yeah, I am." Yuri quickly replied. "I was just remembering something. You mentioned Alexei before, didn't you? I'm certain you did." He heard Raven sigh.

"_Kids nowadays have too good a memory for their own good. Yes, I mentioned him before. Let's say I owe him a few things, but that's not the point here. You told me Yeager wants you to gather information on Alexei?"_

"Yeah, I have until January 1st."

"_That's insane. I mean, the Claw probably formed you well during the years you spent with them, but Alexei is a target on a whole different level. Especially since he's been promoted. You won't approach him easily."_

"I figured as much." Yuri replied sullenly. "So do you think there's something you can do?"

"_I have no immediate answer to give you. However, as I told you before, Don Whitehorse has been observing the Leviathan's Claw closely and is ready to act if something comes up. For now however, he has no valid reason to do anything. But that's only one issue. What you told me about Alexei bothers me quite much as well. He usually focuses only on keeping this city safe, but the fact that he's now interested in the whole area is new."_

"It's probably because he's become the national captain of whatever." Yuri suggested.

"_Normally you appoint regional captains to deal with regional issues."_ Raven explained patiently. _"Alexei's role would normally be to supervise everything from the top, from the national headquarters in the capital."_

"But he's still here, isn't he?"

"_Yes, he is. Which is another detail that bothers me. Listen, for now this whole matter is too shady for you to handle on your own. I'll talk to the Don and see his opinion on this. In the meantime, do not do anything, you got it?"_

"Yeager made it clear that if I don't deliver him the results he expects in time, I won't like the outcome. How long is it going to take you to talk to the Don?" Yuri inquired.

"_Not long, don't worry. But you're gonna have to trust me on this one. I'll be honest with you: I fear that we'll soon have to deal with Yeager, and not with mere parleys. That's the only solution I see for now."_

Yuri frowned at those words. "But Altosk and the Claw have always co-existed, that's what keeps the balance in the lower quarters."

"_I know, Yuri, I know. But as I said, everything will depend on how things will move from now on. Again, I'll ask you to trust me for now. Can you do that?"_

Yuri hesitated a bit. "You won't let Yeager know, will you? If he knows, he'll target my friends."

"_I understand, Yuri. I promise you he won't know about a single word of this discussion. Your friends are safe."_

"Alright, then I trust you. You tell me when there's something new."

"_I will."_

"I'll talk to you later then."

"_Fine. Oh, and Yuri by the way.."_

"Yeah?"

"_You did the right choice by calling me."_

"Tch." Yuri merely replied as he hung up.

Well, all his problems were far from being solved, but at least he knew he had people to support him. And somehow, it felt much better than carrying the burden all by himself. All that was left to do was to wait and hope for the best.

And enjoy the bit of holidays he had.

* * *

><p>There were two days left before Christmas, and the market was as full as ever on that early afternoon. It was set in a huge square with a no less huge Christmas tree in the middle, illuminated by dozens of tinsels. Flynn and Yuri were walking along the small wooden cottages, stopping here and there to have a closer looks on the goods being displayed. There were toys of every kind, mainly hand-made, candles of all imaginable colours and scents, Christmas decorations made of glass, wood or silver, and of course hot wine, gingerbread, pancakes, grilled nuts and plenty of other delicious food. The smell of honey and chocolate was mixed with the sounds of small bells and songs from kids choirs; parents were spoiling their children with barley sugars or waffles, children were running around and pulling their parents from a booth to another, and the whole market was bathed in that joyous atmosphere that was so typical of Christmas.<p>

And naturally, the good mood rubbed on both boys who were chatting happily about everything and nothing. They were supposed to meet with Karol and Rita soon, but for now, they were merely wandering in the alleys of cottages. Yuri suddenly pulled Flynn by the wrist to a booth from which an appetizing smell of waffle was teasing their noses.

"Let's get some." Yuri suggested. "It's my treat."

"How can you still be hungry?" Flynn asked, chuckling. "You had a full bag of grilled nuts, an ice cream and two chocolate pancakes! And I'm not even mentioning the three glasses of hot wine you had."

"Who cares? It's Christmas!" Yuri exclaimed as he started examining the various waffles. "So, which one do you want?"

Flynn sighed dramatically and shook his head of resignation, though his face still displayed amusement. He hadn't suspected that Yuri could act like such a kid, but in a way, it was reassuring.

"Well, I guess if it's your treat, I don't have much choice. I'll have a sugar one then."

"That'll be a sugar and a honey waffle then!" Yuri ordered the shop keeper.

"Right away!" the latter replied.

A minute later, both boys were walking away with warm waffles in their hands. Yuri tasted his, then eyed at Flynn's.

"Let me try yours?" The request made Flynn roll his eyes, but he presented his waffle to Yuri's mouth anyway. The latter took a bite of it then licked his lips of satisfaction. The two students kept on walking and admiring all the booths, unaware of the two people spying on them a few metres behind.

"I'm telling you, there's something weird going on between them!" Rita whispered as she sneaked her way through the crowd.

"Oh come on, there's nothing weird with them!" Karol replied, following the girl. "And why are we still following them like thieves anyway? I thought we came here to see the market together with them!"

"Yeah we will, but for now it's more fun like this! I'm _sure_ those two have something going on!"

"But what do you mean, 'something going on'?"

Rita turned to Karol and gave him an exasperated look. Then she shook her head and resumed tailing Flynn and Yuri, while commenting on the way:

"The way they act towards each other is simply not the way friends normally act. Don't tell me you didn't notice!"

"Notice what? To me they look like pretty normal friends." Karol replied before stifling an 'ouch!' as Rita suddenly pulled him behind a cottage.

"They are looking our way!" she whispered. "I hope they haven't spotted us."

"C'mon Rita, let's drop this spying thing, it's ridiculous." Karol pouted.

"Stop whining. I just want to make sure that my assumptions are correct." She peeked cautiously at Flynn and Yuri and nodded. "Good, they didn't see us. Come on!"

"What assumptions?" Karol inquired as he followed her again with a sigh.

"Guess by yourself! Earlier, Yuri stroked Flynn's hair, he whispered something at his ear, he clang to his arm, he even tasted Flynn's waffle! And the way they keep walking so close to each other, what does it tell you?"

"Huh... That they get along well?" Karol ventured, earning another exasperated look from the brunette. She turned back to look at the two older boys, and narrowed her eyes. Grabbing Karol by the collar, she pulled him to her side and pointed in front of her.

"Look!" she urged. "Do you see what I'm seeing?"

The boy sighed and looked. "They're talking like any normal people would do."

"And?"

"And... wait a second! Are they actually holding hands? Nah, they're just walking close because of the crowd, right?"

"Twat, of course they're holding hands! Now come on, let's go ask for confirmation!"

Karol didn't have time to ask for what kind of confirmation as he was dragged along by Rita who soon caught up to their seniors. As the latter heard their names being called by the girl, they turned round and smiled. Rita sneered silently as the boys quickly unlaced their fingers.

"Hey Rita! Karol!" Yuri exclaimed. "Weren't we supposed to meet under the Christmas tree?"

"Yeah, we were on our way there, and then we spotted you." Rita nodded. "Quite lucky to have found you in this crowd, I must say."

"Indeed. Well, since you're here, let's go have a walk around then." the long-haired boy suggested.

"Alright, but before that I have a question." Rita went on. Putting both fists on her hips and staring straight at Flynn and Yuri, she asked: "Are you two together?"

The reaction of the three males was immediate. Karol stared at her as if to make sure her question implied exactly what he thought it implied, Flynn jumped and coughed of embarrassment, while Yuri merely cocked an eyebrow, surprised.

"What do you mean by 'together'?" he asked back with a cool tone, hoping that the faint trembling of his voice went unnoticed.

"Like, 'going out together'." Rita explained with an impatient gesture.

"C'mon Rita, that's ridiculous." Karol intervened. "Where did you get that from?"

"It's fine, I won't tell it to anyone else if that's what you want." Rita continued, completely ignoring the younger boy. "I just want to confirm my theory. So?"

Yuri turned his eyes to Flynn who gazed back at him. The dark-haired male shrugged, earning a sigh from the blonde one.

"You're right." Flynn finally replied.

"Hah! I knew it." Rita crossed her arms, a victorious smirk on her lips.

"But for various reasons it'd be nice if you could avoid mentioning this to anyone." Yuri added.

"G-Guys, are you for real?..." Karol intervened, stunned by the news. A whack on his head brought him back quickly to reality though.

"What's the dumb face for?" Rita asked severely. "They just said so!"

"But I always thought Yuri liked girls!"

"I don't remember ever saying such a thing." Yuri shrugged. "Anyway, do you mind if we change the topic a bit? I don't think we all gathered here to talk about ourselves, so how about we spend the rest of the day in a more efficient way?"

"Alright! Now that my theory proved correct again, let's go stuff ourselves!" Rita exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.

The next few hours passed way too quickly in Yuri's opinion. It had been a long time since he last had fun like that; Flynn was there, his friends were there, and the fact that they accepted his relationship with Flynn so easily was somehow a relief for him. Of course Rita had asked for more details such as when, how and even _why_, until Yuri's patience wore off – which didn't take long. However, he couldn't help but feel amused and reassured that his friends would still behave normally after the revelation. For a while he was able to put aside all his troubles.

The sky started darkening even though evening hadn't come yet. Rita glanced at her watch.

"It's past 5 pm. We need to go back to the orphanage to help Pia prepare dinner for the kids." she said.

"Already? But I wanna stay here a bit longer." Karol pouted.

"We promised Pia not to come back too late." Rita reminded him.

"It's getting dark anyway." Yuri pointed out. "We should probably go back too." he added to Flynn's intention. The latter nodded and soon enough, the group was leaving to the closest bus stop.

"You're still joining us for Christmas, aren't you?" Karol asked Flynn.

"Yes, I am. I'll be looking forward to it." the blonde boy replied, smiling. "And I think that's our bus coming, Yuri." he added. Karol checked the board on which the timetable was displayed and grunted.

"Ours arrive in fifteen minutes only." he said. "Man, that sucks. I'm starting to freeze here."

"Oh, stop whining like a girl." Rita scolded him before turning to the two other boys. "We'll see you in two days then?"

They nodded, before saying goodbye and boarding the bus. It was slightly crowded, but they still managed to find seats. They started talking about the day that had just passed for a while, until the topic of conversation slipped to what they planned to do on the following day.

"You're going to visit some relatives, right?" Yuri asked.

"Yes, we will spend the day at my aunt and uncle's." Flynn replied with a nod.

"Hope you won't get too bored."

"Oh, it could have been worse. I heard my parents say the Vernas actually thought of inviting us for Christmas Eve, but family comes first, you know." Flynn added humourlessly.

"The Vernas? You mean Sodia's parents?"

"Yeah. As much as Sodia is a rather nice girl, her parents are quite similar to mine. I wouldn't have stood facing my parents' doubles." Flynn said.

Yuri bit his lower lip, gazing through the window of the bus. The Vernas. Sodia. Right. He still hadn't told Flynn about what she had done. He still hadn't told him that she was the origin of all their recent troubles.

And he had sworn to himself to be honest towards Flynn. He tried telling himself that now was maybe not the best timing to tell Flynn; yet he realized that it had been the excuse he had kept using to postpone the matter. It was time to stop that silly game. Flynn deserved to know the truth about the person he thought was 'rather nice'.

Taking in a deep breath, he turned to Flynn.

"Flynn, can I drop by your place for a little while? There's something I need to tell you..."

* * *

><p>It had been an hour since Yuri had left the flat, and Flynn was now lying on his bed, deep in thought. What Yuri had revealed to him about Sodia had first left him speechless, then doubtful. Sodia, bailing out a delinquent? And Yuri had been clueless as for her reasons to do so. Still, if it was true, then this would bring about serious changes in Flynn's parents' plans to have him engaged to Sodia.<p>

If it was true. But the source was Judith, who had gotten the information from the police department itself; therefore chances were high that it was true. Flynn felt tempted to confront Sodia directly, but she would be likely to deny the facts. Truthfully, it wasn't difficult for him to choose who to believe, yet he couldn't bring himself to imagine Sodia bailing out Zagi. For example, there were still some unanswered questions: how had she learnt about Zagi? Why have him released at that time? Why not earlier? Why not later?

As questions kept arising in Flynn's mind, he found himself unable to find a rational answer, and soon enough he deemed useless to rack his brains any further. For now, he needed to prepare himself mentally for the next day.

Family meetings had never been his forte.

* * *

><p>December 24th. In most households, children were getting more and more excited at the prospect of opening their presents soon. Yuri however, was in the kitchen at the orphanage, busy preparing meals to feed all the stomachs present there. It hadn't been in his original plans to come, but Karol had phoned him, telling him that Pia wasn't quite happy not seeing 'that lazy and ungrateful kid' around. As a consequence, there he was, peeling and chopping vegetables along with Karol and Rita. It was fun actually, as the two latter kept telling random anecdotes and bickering.<p>

Yuri merely listened as his mind was busy with another matter. He still didn't have any news from Raven, and his deadline was approaching at too quick a pace to his taste. He tried dismissing the thought; there wasn't much he could do anyway. He had thoroughly studied the report on Alexei and had come to the conclusion that there was no way for him to obtain the information he needed without getting caught. He doubted that even Altosk or the Claw could succeed in such a short time. The second conclusion he had come to was that it was most likely what Yeager wanted. He wanted Yuri to fail in order to punish him as he would see fit.

All he could do now was to rely on Raven Schwann, and in the meantime, enjoy the rest of his holidays. Flynn would come tomorrow, they would spend the whole day together, they would open their presents and they would have fun with everyone else, like a real family.

The end of the day was approaching. Yuri was staying over, much to Pia's pleasure. For now all the younger children were sleeping, leaving only Pia, one of her assistants, Karol, Rita, Yuri and a few other children in the common room. A warm fire was heating up the place, and not too far away was the big Christmas tree under which all the presents were piled up.

Yuri and his friends were chatting quietly when his phone rang. It was Flynn. His face lighting up, he picked up the call.

"_Good evening, Yuri."_

"Hey Flynn! How was your day?"

"_A bit exhausting and boring, honestly, but it's the same every year so I'm getting used to it."_

"Well at least tomorrow you'll be able to have some fun with us."

"_About that, Yuri..."_ There was some hesitation in Flynn's voice. _"I fear I won't be able to come tomorrow."_ he said apologetically.

"Why?" Yuri inquired, frowning. "You said you'd be free."

"_That's not the problem. The problem is that right now, I'm still stuck at my cousin's place. All flights have been cancelled tonight because of a sudden snow storm. The next flight back is scheduled for tomorrow evening, so I'll be back too late to come to the orphanage. I'm really sorry, Yuri."_

"There really isn't any other way for you to come back?" Yuri insisted.

"_Unfortunately no. You know I'd come if I could."_

"Yeah, I know. This means we'll have to spend Christmas without you then." Yuri concluded with a sigh. Karol, who was seated in front of him, blinked in surprise while Rita cocked an eyebrow.

"_I'm really sorry, Yuri."_ Flynn repeated.

"It's not your fault. Well, I guess we'll just see you on another day then. Just tell me once you're back." the dark-haired boy concluded, barely hiding his pique.

"_Alright, I will. I'll talk to you later then."_

As Yuri hung up, disappointment was painted all over his face.

"So that idiot can't come, huh?" Rita asked. Yuri nodded.

"His flight was cancelled because of the snow." he explained.

"That's too bad." Karol commented.

Yuri inwardly cursed his luck. So he couldn't even spend Christmas with Flynn, huh? It was as if fate always managed to find a way to hamper his good mood, and it was starting to get seriously annoying.

* * *

><p>Hot water poured down on Flynn, allowing his muscles to relax. He was finally home, and rid of his parents. For a Christmas day, it could have been better, though it could have definitely been worse. What he regretted above all was that he hadn't been able to spend the day with Yuri and the others. But it couldn't be helped. Now the only thing he was yearning after was a long night of sleep. And then he'd pay Yuri a visit to make himself forgiven. And to give him his present.<p>

He stepped out of the shower, dried himself and got dressed, feeling much more relaxed now. As he was about to go back to his room, his intercom rang, making him curse silently. On Christmas day? At almost 11 pm? It had to be a silly prank. Flynn decided to ignore it, definitely not in the mood for that kind of joke. However, a minute later, it was his phone which rang. A message from Yuri.

_Open the door, you damn idiot. It's freezing cold out here._

His eyes opened wide in surprise. It was Yuri? What was he doing there? He hurried to open the door. A minute later, it was a familiar scene that presented itself to him: Yuri climbing up the stairs, carrying two bags in his arms.

"Yuri, what on earth are you doing here at this hour?" Flynn inquired as the other boy stepped inside the flat.

"Hey, at least pretend to be happy to see me." Yuri grumbled, putting his bags on the table of the kitchen.

"Wh-Yuri, of course I'm happy." Flynn replied with a warm smile. "But coming here so late with that weather..."

"What can I say?" Yuri shrugged as he removed his scarf and coat.

"You were supposed to join us for Christmas. Since you didn't, I figured I'd be the one to come to you." he said casually.

For a moment Flynn was at a loss for words; and then he couldn't hold it anymore. In less than a second, Yuri was in his arms, held tightly and pressed against the edge of the table.

"Yuri..." the blonde boy whispered. It was always those kinds of attention that made him completely fall for Yuri.

At first taken by surprise, Yuri soon reacted, wrapping his arms around Flynn and patting his back.

"Hey, hey. What's with the sudden display of affection?" he asked gently. "Not that I don't appreciate it, mind you."

When Flynn finally decided to release him, he saw the former shake his head.

"I don't know, Yuri." the blonde boy replied, still smiling. "Your coming here just made my day, I guess."

"Glad to hear that. Now how about you open your present?" Yuri suggested as he produced a box from one of the bags. It was wrapped in blue and silver, with a card saying 'Flynn' on it. Flynn took it but didn't open it right away.

"Wait, I have something for you too." he said before hurrying to his room and reappearing with a present. "Here." He handed it to Yuri. Both boys then proceeded with opening their respective gifts.

"Gosh Flynn, just how much did this cost you?" Yuri asked, staring at the branded watch in his hands.

"It ruined me." Flynn replied jokingly before frowning: "Yuri, I'm not sure how I am supposed to interpret this."

The unwrapped present revealed several items: a white scarf, a pack of cookies – obviously made by Yuri – and a book. It was the latter which was making Flynn perplexed. _120 recipes for dummies_ was its title.

"Hm?" Yuri feigned innocence. "You mean this doesn't suit you?"

Flynn sighed. "I fear it doesn't. In my case it should be 'desperate causes' rather than 'dummies'."

"Oh well. At least I tried." Yuri replied with a falsely disappointed expression. "Damn, I really look good with this." he added examining the watch that was now adorning his wrist. "Thanks a lot, Flynn. Anyway, let's eat now."

"Eat? It's quite late." Flynn replied with a frown.

"I won't take 'no' as an answer." the dark-haired boy declared as he started unwrapping some boxes in the second bag. "I saved us parts from today's Christmas meal." he explained.

"'Us'? What do you mean? Didn't you eat with the others at the orphanage?"

"For lunch, yeah. Told them I'd have dinner with you, though. C'mon, don't stand there and give me plates so I can warm up that stuff."

Once again, it took Flynn a few seconds to register Yuri's words, which made the latter sigh of exasperation.

"Right. You're a desperate cause. Guess I'll do it myself, then." he sneered.

"S-Sorry, I'll help you right away!" Flynn finally reacted. "You just tend to do such unexpected things." he added with a chuckle.

He then smiled to himself. In the end, today could very well not be such a bad Christmas, after all. And if he had been able to read Yuri's thoughts at that moment, he'd have realized that they were exactly the same as his.

* * *

><p>When Flynn woke up, he felt abnormally warm. And his bed felt abnormally cramped. Something stirred against him. He looked down a bit, only to see a mass of raven hair. Oh, it was only Yuri. Right. He remembered offering the boy to stay over. Everything was normal.<p>

Three seconds passed.

'_Hell no! That's not normal at all!'_ Flynn exclaimed mentally. Yuri was supposed to sleep in the spare room, not in _his_ room! And even less in his _bed_!

Yuri mumbled something in his sleep and unconsciously snuggled closer to Flynn. It was at that moment that the latter realized that Yuri was bare-chested. His heart started racing, pounding crazily against his chest. Panic seized him. What was he supposed to do? Kick Yuri out of his bed? That would be the normal thing to do.

But paradoxically enough, Flynn was also reluctant to move out from his current position. It felt... strangely comfortable, with Yuri nestled in his arms under the blanket. Still, when the hell did Yuri sneak in?

And as if he had sensed the silent question, Yuri stirred a bit more, until his eyes finally opened. He blinked several times, before rolling lazily away from Flynn. He sat up and stretched his arms. The scar on his side was well visible, reminder of unpleasant events. He finally turned to Flynn.

The expression in the latter's sapphire eyes was undecipherable, and they stared at each other silently for what seemed to be an eternity, until Yuri decided to lean down and press his lips against Flynn's. He pulled back after a few seconds and asked:

"Are you mad at me?"

"For having treacherously sneaked into my bed?" Yes, I am." Flynn replied. "I am very mad." he added, pulling Yuri back into a kiss.

The day wasn't starting so badly.

* * *

><p>There were three days left before the deadline, and when Yuri had phoned Raven, the latter had replied that Whitehorse was still trying to find a good motive to confront Yeager. However, if by the deadline, they still hadn't found anything, then Raven would personally deal with Yeager.<p>

'_I still have some personal issues to settle with him anyway.'_ he had said darkly, while refusing to reveal anything more.

It only half-reassured Yuri.

However, what definitely did _not_ reassure him was the messaged he had just received from Yeager: _'This is your one and only warning.'_

What did it mean? Was it a warning to tell him that he didn't have much time left? Or had Yeager somehow found out about Raven? And if that was the case, then what was the warning he had mentioned?

The answer to the latter question came about an hour later, when Karol called Yuri, sounding completely panicked:

"_Yuri! R-Rita, she's...! She's been ran over by a car! They brought her to the hospital, but... but there was blood everywhere!"_ His voice was broken by sobs.

At first disbelief, then anger flashed in Yuri's eyes. Yeager. He had dared.

And Raven. He had promised not to let any of his friends get hurt. So much for trusting him.

They were both going to pay dearly.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Ugh, I figured I'd type another chapter in order to distract myself from the temptation to throw a bomb at my school. And it's longer to make up for the pathetic excuse of a chapter that was the previous chapter. Soooo, Yuri's starting to act a bit smarter, I guess? And a bit more daring towards Flynn :D Alright, I'll stop the A/N here as I need to run off to the concert of Symphonic Fantasies \o/  
><strong>


	26. And a Happy New Year

**December 30th to January 1st  
><strong>

Karol was pacing back and forth, glancing every minute or so at the luminous red sign of the ICU. Occasionally he would rest a bit by leaning against the wall and sigh repeatedly. Which was exactly what he was doing now.

"Karol, for heaven's sake calm down a bit." Yuri snapped dryly. The dark-haired male was sitting on a bench, a grim expression on his face, and the only detail betraying his own concern was the constant light hammering of his fingers on his crossed arms. Next to him was Pia, her face buried in her hands which had been damped with too many tears for the past few hours. Even now, she was sobbing silently and none of the cups of tea the nurse had brought her had managed to soothe her.

"I can't stand waiting like this." Karol said, punching the wall. "They're taking way too long."

"They won't work faster just because you're pissed." Yuri retorted.

"I know! But... Damn, how can you stay so calm? You know Rita could... she could d–"

"Shut up." Yuri snapped again, but too late. Next to him, Pia let out a stifled hiccup and raised her reddened eyes to both boys. Yuri glared at Karol who bit his lip and fell silent.

"My Rita... My poor Rita..." Pia sobbed, and her eyes started shining with tears again.

Yuri took her in what he hoped was as much a comforting embrace as possible, patting her back.

"She'll be fine." he said softly. "She's tougher than a whole army of tanks, you know that."

"That, she is." Karol confirmed, sitting next to Pia. "I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean... well..."

An awkward silence settled around them, until Pia finally calmed down and stood up. A faint smile graced her lips, though everything on her face screamed exhaustion.

"I'm lucky to have you boys with me." she said, containing her trembling voice. "Now I'm going to see if I can get us something to eat in this hospital. It's about breakfast time."

"Breakfast?" Yuri asked, surprised. Then he checked the clock on the wall and noticed with shock that it was indeed already almost 6 am. They had spent the whole night at the hospital, waiting and barely sleeping, despite the nurse's urging them to rest.

"I can go if you want." Karol offered, but Pia shook her head.

"I need to walk a bit. It doesn't do me any good to sit here for hours." she replied.

As she left, Yuri actually let out a loud sigh.

"What a way to finish the year." he commented.

"Yeah, I've seen happier New Year's eves." Karol nodded. He paused for a second, then went on hesitantly: "But Yuri... you think things will be OK for Rita? I mean... she didn't look very..."

"I know." the dark-haired boy cut him in. He hadn't actually seen her, but from Karol's description, there was nothing to rejoice about.

"It was horrible..." Karol murmured, more to himself. "Never saw that much blood. Spilled everywhere." He shivered. "And she wasn't moving at all..."

"Stop it." Yuri said, a bit more harshly than intended. He pushed back some dark thoughts that had been struggling their way through his mind. He couldn't afford to show any weakness; he had to believe that Rita would make it through. For Pia. She was relying on him and Karol as pillars for the remaining sanity she still had.

Pia soon came back with a small bag in her hands. As she walked closer, Yuri could smell Danish pastries and suddenly, despite the lack of sleep, hunger took over him. He was apparently not the only one in that situation for a minute later, all three of them were devouring the pastries as if they had been starving for days. It wasn't much but somehow, having something warm and tasty in the stomach helped their minds relax.

However, Yuri couldn't afford to relax too much. He still had some business left to do, even though he was reluctant to leave the hospital without a confirmation of Rita's state. Some other matters were calling him and he needed to attend to them without any further delay.

Right after Karol's call on the previous day, Yuri had immediately contacted Raven, demanding to meet him today. A surge of anger seized him again at the thought of the man. It was Raven's fault that Rita was now where she was, it was Raven's fault that one of Yuri's friends was struggling to stay alive. It was Raven's fault for breaking his promise to keep his friends safe. If he hadn't, then Yeager wouldn't have given him that 'warning'.

Yuri wasn't going to forgive them.

And then, another thought, concealed in the depths of his mind, started surfacing slowly, as if his subconscious didn't want to let it in. Yuri was also to blame. If he hadn't told Raven, if he had done as he always did, namely alone, then maybe none of this would have happened. He had had the false hope that Raven would have actually been able to help him, but the result had been disastrous. Yes, the task that Yeager had given him looked impossible to achieve by himself, but at least, if he had failed, he would have been the only one to pay the price. But because of his mistake, he was now forced to watch his dearest ones suffer.

He checked his watch. Time was moving forward too quickly to his taste. He didn't want to leave, he really didn't, especially for what he thought would be a not so pleasant meeting. Still, it was time to go.

"Pia, Karol, I'm sorry but I have a shift starting soon." he said as he stood up.

"I thought you weren't working during the holidays!" Karol replied, surprised.

"Ah yeah, but today they need extra staff, and since they were really nice to me when I was still in convalescence, I thought I could afford working for one day." Yuri said apologetically.

"But what about Rita?" Karol asked, but it was Pia who replied:

"It's alright, my boy. You go and get a change of air. We'll tell you if anything new comes up."

"Thank you, Pia. Try to rest a bit if you can." Yuri nodded gratefully.

"Just go already!" Pia chased him out with an impatient gesture, but a smile was on her lips.

It was that smile that made Yuri's heart clench as he left. If something were to happen to Pia, to the one person who had been like a mother to him, he definitely wouldn't forgive himself.

* * *

><p>Since that night when Yuri had sneaked in his bed, Flynn couldn't help but feel something missing every morning when he woke up. He wouldn't admit it, but waking up to the feeling of a warm body against his was particularly pleasant, and he had stopped counting how many times a day he thought of asking Yuri to spend nights with him. Naturally, the logical course of his thoughts led him to <em>other things<em> they could do beside sleeping, and every single time his mind started wandering in that area, Flynn would find himself blush and his heart race.

Did Yuri also think that far? Flynn doubted it. Their relationship was no where near stable and perfect, and Yuri didn't look like the kind of person to even consider bringing the said relationship to the next step. And honestly, Flynn wasn't certain any of them was actually ready for that.

With a small sigh, he focused again on finalizing the papers he would present to several people during the New Year party. His eyes automatically drifted to the jewel-case resting not too far away on the table. He had decided to talk to Sodia during the party about what Yuri had revealed to him. He wasn't optimistic enough to hope for a good outcome, and was now preparing himself for a severe clash in the days to come between his parents and himself.

Nevertheless, if it was the price to pay to get rid of those obstacles getting in his way, then so be it. At least he still had Yuri by his side. It was the only thing that mattered to him.

Yuri. Flynn hadn't seen him for the past two days. It wouldn't hurt to meet for lunch, would it? He grabbed his phone, and that's when he noticed a message left by Karol on the previous night. Cocking an eyebrow, he opened the message. As he read the few words on it, his eyes opened wide in horror.

Leaving all his papers, he hurriedly got dressed and rushed to the hospital. He'd probably see Yuri there too. Hopefully he would be fine.

* * *

><p>Yuri arrived at the bar owned by Altosk at the time he had convened with Raven, and as soon as he stepped inside, he could tell the mood was tense enough to make suspicion grow in him. He removed the big hat concealing his hair and the pair of fake glasses he had been wearing in case someone from the Claw spotted him. He had never been to that place that often during his time at the Claw – maybe once or twice – but it didn't prevent him from sensing that there was something abnormal in the way most people looked, namely angry. Some were openly furious, banging on the table while others were talking actively while nodding or shaking their heads vehemently between ceaseless comings and goings. It wasn't the normal buzz that could be found in a bar.<p>

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, making him jump slightly. As he turned round, his face darkened.

"Good morning, Yuri." Raven said, though the tone wasn't merry at all and he looked obviously distracted by the whole mess around him.

"What's happening here?" Yuri asked, frowning.

"You'll get your explanation very soon." the man replied gloomily. "It's pretty much related to what happened to your friend Rita. I'm sorry about it, by the way."

Yuri clenched his fists, resisting the serious urge to punch Raven at the mention of Rita.

"You're sorry? You promised Yeager wouldn't know about our conversation." he said between gritted teeth.

"And I kept my promise." Raven replied, earning a flash of fury in Yuri's eyes.

"What the hell?" he burst out. Fortunately, the pub was already noisy enough for no one to notice him. "Is that what you call 'keeping your promise'? Then explain to me why Rita got–"

"I told you you will get your explanations very soon." Raven cut him in sharply before sighing. "Listen, I understand your anger, but we have no time to waste on outbursts like yours. Come with me, the Don wants to speak to you."

"Whitehorse? Why?"

"Just follow me already. This matter doesn't please me more than it pleases you, believe me." A crease of worry could be seen between Raven's eyebrows, but Yuri couldn't care less about what the man was thinking right now. All he had on his mind was to make Raven feel pain. However, he was smart enough to refrain from hitting Whitehorse's former right-hand man in front of dozens of members of Altosk.

For now, at least. He followed Raven upstairs into a big room where the atmosphere was quieter yet not less heavy as downstairs. Whitehorse was sitting at a table, and by his sides were a man and a woman, both displaying pain and rage on their faces. The leader of Altosk motioned Raven to join him as soon as he saw him, and soon after, Yuri found himself sitting in front of the imposing man. For a few seconds he was too impressed for words, as Whitehorse was just the kind of man to emit that particular aura of authority and respect that had earned him his current place.

Whitehorse's expression was hard, yet his eyes bore kindness as he addressed Yuri:

"Yuri Lowell, I welcome you. I wish to settle our conversation quickly but clearly, therefore I'm going to explain to you our current situation and I'll ask you not to interrupt me."

As Yuri nodded, Whitehorse went on: "You may have noticed the tense state we're in. As Raven probably told you, we've been keeping a close eye on the Claw recently. Maybe a bit too close. One of my men who was in charge of watching Yeager's activities was killed a night ago." At those words, the woman next to Whitehorse stifled a sob. A close friend or a relative, Yuri guessed. "There is no doubt that the Claw is responsible for that act. Now, you may wonder what this has to do with you." Whitehorse paused, then crossed his arms and leant against the back of his sofa. "A friend of yours got into an accident, correct?"

"That was no accident." Yuri retorted defiantly. "That was–"

"Yeager's doing." Whitehorse nodded, making Yuri raise his eyebrows with surprise. "Raven reported to me. It's not difficult to make the connection. Yeager threatened you by using your friends, in case you felt like asking for Altosk's help. Which you did."

"But Yeager wasn't supposed to know about it." Yuri snapped, glaring murderously at Raven who was seated beside him. "There wasn't supposed to be any leak."

"Raven has nothing to do about any kind of leak." Whitehorse replied. "In fact, there has been no leak of your contacting him." As Yuri was about to protest, the older man raised a hand to stop him: "Let me finish. This is what you call an unfortunate coincidence. What happened is that Yeager caught one of my men spying on him and had him shot down. I can safely assume he thought that the spy was sent on your request, and that's why he struck back by hurting your friend. I deeply apologize for it. It was our own carelessness that brought about that accident." Whitehorse added grimly.

Yuri didn't reply immediately, his mind still trying to register what Whitehorse had just said. That was... completely unbelievable.

"So you're trying to tell me... that Rita is on the verge of death simply because of a mistake?" he finally asked, his voice slightly trembling and his knuckles white for clenching his fists until it hurt. "A damn _mistake_?"

"Yuri..." Raven began, a hand on Yuri's shoulder. But the latter shrugged it off and stood up abruptly. His last lock of self-restriction shattered. The next second, his fist collided with Raven's cheek, sending the man on the wooden floor. Yuri straddled him, ready to hit again, but this time, his blow landed only a few inches away from Raven's face.

"Damn it..." Yuri murmured, strands of dark hair partly hiding his face. "You promised... you freaking promised nothing would happen to them!" He punched the floor again, ignoring the pain on his knuckles. Below him, Raven rubbed his cheek, wincing slightly.

"I know, Yuri, and I'm really sorry I wasn't able to keep my promise." he replied truthfully. "But how about you think of what Yeager's actions mean."

"What they mean?..."

"Yuri, he _killed_ one of the Don's men. What do you think this implies?"

The long-haired boy stared at Raven for a second, not understanding. Whitehorse gave a short cough.

"I'm not sure Raven deserved that punch, but at least he's got a point." he said. "So how about you cool down a bit and listen till the end, boy?"

Flushing of embarrassment, Yuri got off Raven and helped him up, muttering some apologies as he took back his seat.

"That's better." Whitehorse nodded, giving an amused smile at Raven who sighed dramatically. "Now listen. That man – Yeager – got enough guts to actually kill a member of Altosk. This calls for payback. Anyone who dares attack one of our members must be ready to pay it dearly. Normally the price of blood would be blood, and the death of the one who shot Ted would have been enough. However, Yeager also hurt someone who had nothing to do with this case – your friend. This can't be called normal circumstances, and therefore I fear normal payments can't be applied here."

"I don't get what Rita has to do with your 'payment'." Yuri frowned.

"She's an example of what could happen to any of your other friends if we act harshly." Raven explained. "Getting rid of Yeager's man would be legitimate revenge, but he has shown us that he won't hesitate to retaliate by targeting your friends. Which doesn't leave us a very large margin to act."

"As I'm speaking now, that coward went back to his headquarters, and we intend to pin him there." Whitehorse said. "But we need to plan things carefully. First, we need to make sure your friends won't be harmed."

"How can that be possible?" Yuri asked.

"It's easy." It was Raven who spoke. "We just set our next target on Yeager himself. If we get the leader of the Claw, the rest of the members won't have anyone to receive orders from. It's called cutting the Leviathan's head."

"You intend to... kill Yeager? But that's..." Words failed Yuri. Whitehorse nodded.

"No one here likes the idea, believe me. We've kept a certain balance here within the lower quarters for many years, and now we're about to break it. The decision is not easy to make, as it's going to bring about some unrest here, to say the least, but our choices are very limited."

"We actually have only one choice: dispose of Yeager." Raven summarized.

"By hearing you, it surely sounds very easy to carry out." Yuri sneered.

"Hey hey, we're also doing this to save your neck, in case you forgot. Yeager gave you a deadline to deliver him some information, and if I remember well, that deadline is in two days. So wipe that smug expression off your face. The objectives are easy, indeed, but that's about all." Raven replied.

"Alright. Then what do we do?"

"_You_ do nothing." Whitehorse replied. "Yeager has gone so far as to execute one of our men, so it's now officially our business."

"It's mine too!" Yuri protested. "Rita was–"

"It's precisely because Rita was involved that we don't want more casualties like her. That includes you as well."

"So you expect me to just sit there and wait while you happily go deal with Yeager?" Yuri asked, slamming a hand on the table.

"Yuri. I think you have other matters you should attend to." Raven said firmly, and for once, his gaze wasn't as warm as it usually was. "I recall you have people waiting for you at the hospital, am I wrong?"

"But..."

"No 'buts'. I understand that you feel responsible for what happened to Rita, but if you truly wants to take on that responsibility, then the best thing you can do is be by her side when she wakes up, and be by your nurse's side because I'm quite sure she needs your support."

Nurse? He meant Pia, Yuri thought. He wanted to protest again, but the thought of Pia made him reconsider. There was Karol with her, so maybe, it would be enough? _'Idiot, she's been a mother to you, and that's how you repay her? By leaving her when she needs you the most?'_

"And I'm not even mentioning how she'd feel if something were to happen to you." Raven added as if he had read Yuri's thoughts. The boy remained silent. As much as he hated to admit it, Raven was right, though for now it sounded more like a cowardly excuse than anything else.

His phone suddenly rang. A message from Karol. Yuri's heart stopped beating for a second as he read it and his face turned pale. His mouth opened as if to say something, but no word crossed his lips.

_Rita's in a coma. Come asap._

His mind turned blank as the impossible thought of losing Rita slowly emerged. It was the first time he actually considered the possibility and its implications, and he realized that he was terrified by it. Not Rita. Not her.

"Yuri? Are you alright?" Raven inquired worriedly.

Yuri gave him a blank stare in return before he finally spoke: "I... I need to go." he said as he stood up, slightly trembling.

"Is it Rita?"

Yuri nodded. Raven frowned, then with some hesitation, he asked: "Is she..."

"Coma." the other boy merely replied. "I... really have to go."

"Hurry, then. And let us handle the rest." Whitehorse intervened. "No use wasting another second here. Go!"

Yuri couldn't remember the last time he had run so fast; he didn't remember that buses could be so slow either. In any case, it felt like an eternity passed before he finally crossed the entrance of the hospital. There, he had to swallow back his frustration when a nurse caught him, telling him not to run in the corridors. It didn't prevent him to hurry to the ICU anyway.

As he arrived in the waiting corridor, he saw a nurse trying to talk to a sobbing Pia, Karol rubbing her back and holding her hand, and... Flynn? What was he doing there? The latter spotted Yuri almost immediately and hurried to him.

"Yuri! You're finally here." The blonde boy said, concern tainted with relief on his face.

"Yeah, how are things here?"

"Well... As you can see, not good. Pia has been crying ever since the surgeon came out to announce the news. According to the nurse, Rita's condition hasn't gone worse since then, but neither has it gone better."

"So she's stable for now?"

"Yes, but being stable in a coma isn't particularly a reassuring thought." Flynn added gloomily. "Yuri, are feeling OK?" he asked, stepping closer to the other boy with obvious worry in his eyes. "You look... very pale. And you're shaking." he added, slipping his hands over Yuri's and holding them tight.

"Flynn... It's... It's all my fault..." Yuri murmured, lowering his head, and his crestfallen expression was painful to watch.

"What do you mean? It was an accident. It's not your fault at all."

"... It wasn't an accident."

"Of course it was." Flynn replied, trying to hush the other boy. He hugged him comfortingly, not really caring if other people saw them. Yuri was limp between his arms. The latter eventually raised his eyes and quickly glanced around him. They were alone in the corridor, save for Karol, Pia and the nurse who were standing far enough from them.

"Flynn... I wanted to tell you earlier but... I just couldn't find the right time... I'll tell you now, but please, please, promise me... You won't... You won't..." Yuri's fingers suddenly clutched Flynn's jacket.

"I won't get mad at you, Yuri. I promise. Come on, let's go sit over there." Flynn suggested as he gently nudged Yuri to some seats not too far away. The latter complied, and as he sat down, his hand hadn't let go of Flynn's.

He took in a deep breath and spoke. A few sentences were enough to summarize the situation about Yeager and Rita's supposed accident; however, each word that escaped his lips felt a bit more bitter than the previous one, and by the time he was done, his voice was nothing but a hoarse murmur.

Flynn listened to him silently, keeping Yuri's trembling hand in his. It was no use lying to himself by pretending he wasn't actually upset by the other boy's revelations; yet, seeing him in such a pitiful state blew away any harsh thoughts he was harbouring. Yuri was already crumbling under the weight of his own remorse, and though he wouldn't say it explicitly, he needed someone to remove a bit of that weight. And if Flynn wasn't going to do it, who else would?

The blonde boy pulled Yuri in his arms again, allowing him to bury his face in the crook of his neck, and murmured:

"It wasn't your fault, Yuri. It wasn't. The only one to blame here is Yeager."

"But it's because of me that–"

"Shush. That's enough." Flynn cut him in, stroking his back slowly. "You did nothing wrong, Yuri."

"Then... You're not mad that I... I didn't tell you immediately?" Yuri asked hesitantly.

Of course Flynn was a bit irritated – who wouldn't be? But Yuri definitely didn't need to hear that now. "I'm not Yuri. I promised you, remember? I'm already glad you told me, but now you have to stop blaming yourself and stand strong for Pia and Karol."

"I'm anything but strong." Yuri let out in a breath. "I'm just..."

"Yuri, look at me." Flynn said as he freed Yuri from his embrace, his tone suddenly turning firm. "You made mistakes, like anyone here. But you acknowledge them and try to fix them. That in itself is a sign that you are strong, no matter what you think."

Yuri looked away, unable to find an answer to Flynn's words. He eventually nodded.

"Good. Now, how about you go see Pia? I think she needs you more than me right now."

"A-Alright."

Flynn remained seated as Yuri went to Pia, watching them silently. He was supposed to fly on the next day to the capital city for the New Year party, but how on earth could he leave Yuri in that state? And there was Rita as well. He considered cancelling for a moment, but then again, this year's party was particularly important for him, and skipping it was basically out of the question. He bit his lower lip. The timing was deplorably bad.

About half an hour later, he excused himself and left the hospital, trying not to pay too much attention to the disappointed yet understanding look in Yuri's eyes. He had still some work left to do, after all.

* * *

><p>Afternoon was reaching its end when Flynn saw Yuri give him a surprise visit. Apparently he along with Karol had finally managed to convince Pia to go back to the orphanage to rest. The hospital would call Yuri if anything new occurred. The blonde boy was fortunately done with most of his papers, therefore Yuri's arrival didn't bother him much, and honestly, he would have given up any task he was doing at the mere sight of the depressed face Yuri was pulling.<p>

A steaming cup of coffee, a few words, comforting strokes; all the efforts Flynn was pulling to lighten up Yuri's mood barely produced any effect. In the end he gently cupped Yuri's cheek in one hand and pressed his lips against Yuri's, relieved when the other boy slowly relaxed and replied to the kiss. Between each kiss they gave each other, soothing words were whispered softly, until Yuri's lips finally curled into a weak smile.

"I'm sorry for being such a bother." he said, but Flynn shook his head.

"Don't say stupid things like that. You're not a bother at all."

Yuri sighed as he leant back against the sofa. "I keep bringing you more and more troubles."

"We already talked about that, Yuri. I told you my life would be pretty boring without your troubles, didn't I?" Flynn made an attempt at humour, which apparently worked as he earned a chuckle from the dark-haired male.

"Right. You did say that."

Silence settled between the two boys, during which Yuri rested his head on Flynn's shoulder. Far from being awkward, the silence was actually restful for them. They didn't need superfluous words to convey their feelings to each other as their sole presences was eloquent enough. It was turning into a sort of habit to them. That's why Flynn was slightly surprised when Yuri suddenly said:

"Thanks for having me with you, Flynn."

The blonde boy replied with a simple kiss on his forehead.

"Say... Can I stay here tonight? I know you have to leave tomorrow, but I'll be gone in the morning so–"

"Stay as long as you wish, Yuri." Flynn interrupted him. "My plane takes off in the afternoon only, so you can stay the whole morning too if you want." Unconsciously, his heart started beating faster at the thought of Yuri staying overnight – again.

And then the sound of a growling stomach surprised him again. A smile graced his lips.

"Seems like someone's hungry here. I'll order us something light for tonight. And don't argue." he added before Yuri even had time to protest. The latter merely pouted and crossed his arms. He wasn't really in the mood to argue anyway.

Evening passed quickly, and soon enough sleep started making Yuri's eyelids heavy.

"I think I'll go crash before I fall asleep in your living." he said, repressing a yawn. "Your guest room is still available, I hope?"

"Yes, naturally." Flynn nodded, and then, before he even thought of it, a suggestion escaped him: "Yuri, you can sleep in my room if you want."

It was only when Yuri blinked at him that he realized the implications of his own words, and he turned a deep shade of pink.

"I-I mean, it seems you always like to sneak in my room so I thought that you could... Well... A-Anyway, if you prefer having your own bed, I'll understand perfectly!" he stuttered, much to Yuri's amusement.

The latter silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"I guess I'd prefer not sleeping alone tonight." he said with a soft smile.

That night wasn't going on too badly, Flynn mused as he looked at the sleeping form nestled against him. The day had probably been particularly exhausting for Yuri to fall asleep so quickly. Flynn could feel his slow and regular breathing against his chest, and he found himself wishing for morning never to come. It was with that thought and one last stroke in Yuri's long hair that sleep took over him.

* * *

><p>As Flynn woke up on the next morning, he rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly, pushing the blanket away. It was a normal day, and yet by the time he was fully awake, he felt something didn't feel right. Glancing around him, he saw nothing abnormal but still, he was certain that something was missing.<p>

Or someone.

_Yuri._ Flynn frowned and hurried out of his bed. Had Yuri already left? Without a word? However, as he opened the door, he heard noise coming from the living room and was relieved to see Yuri on the sofa, watching the TV. The long-haired boy looked rather troubled. His mobile phone was on the table, at hand's reach. Probably in case the hospital called.

"Good morning Yuri." Flynn greeted him. The latter turned his head and smiled.

"Hey, Flynn. I hope you don't mind." he said, pointing at the screen.

Flynn shook his head, then asked: "Are you watching the news?"

"Yeah. It's kind of... strange."

"What is?"

"See by yourself." Yuri replied, turning his attention to the TV again.

Flynn followed the gaze and saw, in the middle of flashes and microphones, the face of Alexei Dinoia. The man was apparently giving a conference, and on the wall behind his back was a huge logo of the national security forces with his name written underneath.

"–_has announced in this morning's conference that he would not allow crime to roam freely anymore. As the new leader of the security forces, Alexei Dinoia seems to be taking his role very seriously. The dismantling of both networks of drugs and weapons trafficking is the first striking action he has undertaken since his appointment, and no one can deny that it has been a brilliant success–"_

Flynn listened quietly at the comments while watching the man giving out his speech. His charisma was unquestionable; everything from his gestures to the way his piercing eyes stared at the audience was a demonstration of authority. A glance at Yuri showed him that the latter wasn't impressed though; rather, he was frowning quite deeply.

"What's wrong with it?" the blonde boy finally asked.

"You remember what I told you yesterday? About Yeager giving me some stuff to do?"

"I do. What about it?"

"Well... I was supposed to gather information on that Alexei guy. And you know why? Because he himself had requested information from Yeager."

"What kind of information?" Flynn inquired as he sat next to Yuri.

"... Data on the networks of drugs and weapons dealing that have just been dismantled." the other boy replied.

Flynn cocked an eyebrow. "So you mean that Alexei actually managed to dismantle those networks thanks to information obtained from an underground organization? It does sound peculiar, indeed. But you could say it was for a right cause."

"–_and I will continue hunting crime down until our whole nation can be called a safe place to live for all its citizens."_

"Though he may be overdoing it a bit." Flynn added after hearing Alexei's announcement.

"Yeah, well I don't know the man, but as long as he has some connections with Yeager, I can't say I trust his word completely." Yuri said sullenly. "Anyway, enough of this." he added as he turned off the TV. "Shouldn't we have breakfast?"

"Oh, right. I'll go make some coffee and toasts." Flynn replied, but as he was about to get up, Yuri pinned him back down on the sofa, sitting on his lap with both hands on his chest.

"Not so fast, Mr Scifo. Haven't you forgotten something before?" he asked with a faint smirk.

"I'm not sure. Please enlighten me, Mr Lowell." Flynn replied, his arms already making their ways around Yuri's waist.

The sweet kiss he received from Yuri was certainly enlightenment enough.

* * *

><p>Imposing chandeliers were illuminating the huge reception hall where large curtains of gold and red velvet had been hung. A soft background music was playing, only covered by the conversations of the people there. Round tables had been set in the central part of the hall, and on each table could be found various kinds of food and beverages, arranged as a buffet.<p>

A glass of champaign in his hand, Flynn looked pleased with himself. The various talks he had had so far had given good results and his projects looked like they would soon go beyond the state of drafts. He checked his watch. 11.55 pm. Soon the countdown to next year.

And after that, he'd have to talk to Sodia. For now the girl was by his side, talking actively to another man whom Flynn had never seen before. If he were to describe him, he'd say the man looked slightly effeminate, with a slender silhouette and long, silver hair, though the traits on his face were definitely male. He wasn't wearing a suit like most other male guests there, but had a much more elegant red and brown costume with golden embroideries that made him look like an exotic foreigner. Contrary to all the other people gathered there, the joyous atmosphere of the coming New Year was leaving him very calm and composed, and Flynn could have almost believed that there was a hint of sadness in his crimson eyes.

It seemed that he noticed Flynn staring at him for he suddenly turned to the blonde boy and gave him a gracious smile.

"I am deeply sorry for monopolizing the attention of our young lady here. I was even rude enough not to introduce myself to you. I am Duke Pantarei." the man said, holding out his hand.

"Flynn Scifo. And I have no claim over Miss Verna's attention, therefore you have every right to monopolize her." he replied, smiling back. That earned a laugh from Sodia and an understanding nod from Duke.

Pantarei. Now Flynn knew who the man was. He was the CEO of the famous luxury cosmetics brand Pantarei, renowned for being the favourite choice of most celebrities but also very popular among the normal population.

"Look, Flynn." Sodia showed him a small bottle. The word 'Elegance' was carved on it. "He offered me a bottle of his latest perfume. For my mother, because she loves every product by Pantarei."

"I will gladly offer you one for your mother as well, Mr Scifo." Duke suggested, but Flynn shook his head apologetically.

"I fear my mother is not really fond of fragrances, unfortunately."

"Is that so? What a pity."

"Oh! The countdown is starting!" Sodia exclaimed, pointing at the big screen hanging from the ceiling.

All of a sudden, the lights were turned off, leaving only the screen with a countdown on it. Everyone started counting the ten seconds separating them from the new year. As 'zero' was reached, cheers of 'Happy new year' wishes and sounds of glasses tinkling against each other filled the entire reception hall, while outside, a firework started illuminating the dark sky. People hurried on the balconies despite the chilly temperature to admire the show.

If it hadn't been for Sodia pulling him by the wrist, Flynn would have gladly stayed inside. As he watched the explosions of colours though, he wished it was someone else by his side. He closed his eyes and suddenly, he found himself unable to take part to the global cheerfulness.

The ones he would have wanted to spend New Year with were far away from him, and probably in no mood to celebrate anything. His thoughts turned to Rita, who was still in a coma, and to Yuri, who was likely still blaming himself for what had happened to her. Flynn's heart clenched.

A happy new year, indeed.

And it was only the beginning. As soon as the firework would be over, he would have to confront Sodia. He didn't plan to drag things for long. He'd be concise and direct. The brunette, standing next to him, was still gazing in awe at the firework, unaware of what was happening in Flynn's head. She would find out very soon anyway.

Flynn felt his phone buzz in his pocket and picked it out.

_Happy new year. Come back quickly. Miss you._

Despite the negative thoughts that had been filling his mind, he couldn't help but smile. Even under those circumstances, Yuri still found time to think of him. That made him feel a little bit more guilty for leaving his side. He typed back.

_Happy New Year to you. I miss you too._

Finally, the sky returned to its usual silent darkness and the guests started moving back inside, progressively.

"Let's go, Flynn?" Sodia suggested when the balcony was empty, but the latter turned to her with a serious face.

"I'd like to talk to you downstairs, if you don't mind. It won't take long." he said.

"Oh?" the girl tilted her head of curiosity, though by the look on her face, she already knew what was going to happen. Or supposed to.

Naturally she expected Flynn to give her their engagement present, as planned with their respective parents. Therefore she happily followed Flynn outside the reception hall and downstairs, where no one could see them. Flynn didn't want to let her hopes get too high, thus he went on with a neutral tone:

"Sodia, as you certainly know, my mother asked me to give you this. So take it." he said as he produced the red jewel-case from his pocket and handed it to Sodia. The girl looked clearly surprised and disappointed.

"Flynn, you aren't supposed to present things like that! I mean, yes I knew that beforehand, but normally you are supposed to give it to me with a smile and tell me it's a present from you for our coming engagement!" she said, very upset.

"I don't care how I'm supposed to do things." Flynn replied, his voice now cold. "I'm only stating the truth, and I only wish you had done the same to me."

"W-What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your bailing out Zagi."

Sodia's reaction was immediate. Her eyes and mouth opened wide in shock, then her face bleached in anger.

"Me?" she snapped, furious. "Bailing out someone? Have you lost your mind, Flynn?"

For a second, Flynn almost believed her reaction to be genuine, but he knew better than that. "I should be the one asking you that question, Sodia. What you did was completely irresponsible. Because of you, Yuri could have died. And other people could have been injured as well. So I want to know why you did that."

"Have you any proof of those outrageous accusations of yours?" Sodia almost shrieked, but it was clear by the way she kept avoiding Flynn's gaze that she wasn't going to hold much longer.

"Of course I do. Any request to bail out someone must be done on a paper, and that paper is enough proof, I believe." Flynn replied calmly.

The brown-haired girl was livid. She bit her lower lip and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

"I had clearly demanded that the paper was destroyed." she said between her gritted teeth.

"So you admit it."

"I-I... How dare you do this to me! I'm your fiancée!" Sodia snapped and raised her hand to slap Flynn, but the latter caught her wrist before she could touch him.

"You are not. And I doubt neither my family nor yours will approve of the engagement once they learn about what you did."

That last sentence was the critical blow to Sodia. The girl fell on her knees and started sobbing, her face in her hands. Flynn felt quite guilty for making her cry, but he had to remain firm. He simply hoped no one would have the bad idea of coming downstairs for whatever reason.

"Don't tell them! Please Flynn, don't!" she let out between her sobs. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for what I did! I know it was stupid but... but I just wanted that Yuri Lowell to get away from you! I didn't know Zagi would go so far as to... to stab Yuri!" She raised her watery eyes to Flynn. "I just... I just wanted you to stay with me! You keep spending your time with that boy, so I... I..."

"You were jealous. Of Yuri." Flynn stated calmly, though inwardly he could hardly believe that the reason was so simple. Yet, from a capricious girl like Sodia, it didn't come as a surprise.

"Flynn, I beg of you! Don't tell anyone! I know I've acted stupidly, and I really regret it!"

"You do?"

"Yes!" she let out desperately. She lowered her head, forcing herself to cool down. "Yes, I do..." she repeated. "I'm really sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." Flynn pointed out as he offered Sodia a hand. She blinked, then took the hand and stood up, wiping away her tears.

"Yes, you're right." she added after a few seconds of silence. She hiccuped. "I will apologize to him personally."

Flynn pondered for a moment on whether she was sincere or not, then decided that her acting looked too real to be a mere acting. He nodded.

"Good. That's a first step." he said. "And you promise me you won't try to do anything that could harm my friends anymore?"

"Y-Yes, I promise. I acted without thinking, but I realized how stupid I was..." Sodia gulped then went on with some hesitation in her voice: "Flynn, my actions proved that I am not worthy of someone like you. Therefore I... I will ask to... cancel the engagement definitely. I know my feelings are one-sided anyway, aren't they?" she asked, still not meeting Flynn's eyes.

"I'm sorry." the latter merely replied.

"I-I understand. I've been selfish until now, but I want to make it up to you. I hope that we... we can still keep in touch at least?" Sodia gave a timid and hopeful gaze to Flynn.

"Yes, naturally." he replied with a smile. "You're a kind girl, Sodia, even if you made some mistakes. That's why I can tell you that you deserve someone better than me, and I'm sure you will find that someone. As for me, I'm afraid I can't give you what you are looking for."

Sodia raised surprised eyes to him, and tears appeared at their corners again, but there was a smile on her lips.

"Flynn... Thank you." she said.

At that moment, to Flynn, it was as if an invisible burden had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders. One problem down.

* * *

><p>When the countdown on the TV reached zero, Yuri grabbed Rita's motionless hand and squeezed it.<p>

"Happy new year, Rita." he said, even though the girl couldn't hear him. He had managed to convince Karol to stay with Pia at the orphanage with the other children to celebrate. Rita wouldn't want the fun to be spoilt just because of her, and all the kids had been looking forward to the new year, therefore they couldn't be disappointed.

Now there he was at the hospital, sitting by Rita's bed. Exceptionally, the staff had allowed him to stay, because it was New Year and because Yuri's stubbornness had gotten the better of the doctors. Naturally, a nurse kept coming every half an hour or so to make sure that Yuri wasn't doing anything troublesome, and maybe also to check on Rita's state. The girl's head was covered in bandages and her body was probably not in a better shape, though the blanket concealed it from Yuri's sight. At least she didn't look in pain, breathing normally and softly, as if she was merely sleeping. Brushing away a few strands of hair from her forehead, Yuri let out a small sigh. Rita was strong, he kept telling himself. She would wake up soon.

He turned off the TV, and the room fell silent again. His thoughts turned to Flynn. How was he faring with that party of his? Was he happily cheering while enjoying high-class food and expensive champaign? Probably not, according to what the blonde boy had told him about his previous experiences. Yuri grabbed his phone and sent him a message. The reply came soon after, eliciting a smile from Yuri. Flynn would be back in the end of the afternoon, and had promised to pay him a visit at the hospital then. He was looking forward to it.

A yawn escaped him. Needless to say, he hadn't had the opportunity to sleep very peacefully lately, except on the previous night, with Flynn. He pondered on whether to go back home or stay with Rita – in the improbable case she woke up. And out of nowhere, a voice popped up in his head.

_'Go back and sleep, twat. I don't need a zombie to watch over me.'_

Yuri chuckled as he gazed at Rita. Yep, that was probably what she'd tell him.

"Alright, alright. I'll be back tomorrow then." he told her.

As he left the room, he turned back once more and could have sworn Rita's lips were slightly curled up in a smile; but that was most certainly his imagination.

* * *

><p>It was 3 pm when Yuri pushed open the door to Rita's room, and to his utmost surprise, there was already someone else there, standing by the bed.<p>

"Flynn!" he exclaimed as he closed the door behind him. "I thought your flight was later."

"I managed to catch an earlier flight." the blonde boy replied, smiling. "I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea since a certain someone sent me a message saying how they missed me."

"I have no idea who you're talking about." Yuri feigned innocence. "I'm glad you're here though." he added as he walked closer to Flynn.

The latter pulled him by the waist and greeted him with a quick kiss. Yuri didn't resist.

"Any news about her condition?" Flynn asked after pulling back, but the other male shook his head.

"She's stable and the doctors said they have hopes for her, but that's about all. Damn, just looking at her, you'd think she could wake up at any time." Yuri said, his tone suddenly turning bitter. "But..."

"She'll wake up." Flynn cut him in firmly, a hand resting on Yuri's shoulder. "She will. And what about... that issue with Yeager?"

Yuri twitched at the name. He sat down on the edge of the bed before replying, his tone filled with concern:

"I'm not sure. Raven said they were going to take him down, but it's going to be nasty for the lower quarters. They'll try to keep the damage to a minimum, but you never know what Yeager can be up to."

Flynn leant against the wall, arms crossed. "I wish that man was already locked in jail. He's been the source of enough troubles like that."

"I wish he was dead." Yuri replied darkly. Flynn didn't try to argue with him, sensing that it wasn't the perfect time to enter that sensitive ground. Much to his relief, Yuri soon changed the topic: "How was the party?"

"Quite good, actually." the blonde male nodded. "I've been able to talk to several managers who will support me."

"Hey, that's damn good news! Not that I didn't expect that result, coming from you."

"Thanks." Flynn replied with a smile. "And that's not all... I've talked to Sodia." He made a pause to watch Yuri's reaction, but as the latter got none, he went on: "She acknowledged having acted stupidly and apologized. Furthermore, she has decided to cancel the engagement once and for all."

"She did?" Yuri opened round eyes. "Just like that?"

"Well, let's say I did threaten her a bit to report to both her parents and mine about her deeds. That wouldn't have looked very good on her reputation."

Yuri smirked. "So you blackmailed her. Never thought you'd be able to do something like that."

"It wasn't blackmailing! She did that of her own free will in the end!" Flynn protested. "And you should be happy instead of calling me a blackmailer."

"I am." Yuri replied, his traits softening. He stood up and walked to Flynn. Pressing himself against his lover, he laced their fingers together and put his lips closer to Flynn's. "You don't even know how much I am." he whispered before closing the distance between them.

The kiss was chaste – they were in a hospital after all – yet intense enough to express Yuri's feelings much more than his mere words. Flynn slipped his fingers in Yuri's cascade of raven hair and sighed of content.

"So you're officially all mine now." Yuri murmured, though he didn't make any effort to hide the complacence in his tone.

"Aren't we confident?" Flynn cocked an eyebrow, amused.

"Of course. I'm completely confident in my abilities to keep you for myself."

As Flynn was about to reply, a cough followed by an another voice, hoarse and less masculine, rose and interrupted them:

"If you plan to go all cheesy on each other, get the hell out of my room at once. You're making me puke."

Both boys jumped, turning to where the voice was coming from. Two dark green eyes were glaring at them with obvious murder intent in them. The girl whom they belonged to was still lying on the bed, but there was no doubt if she had been able to stand up, some casualties would have been expected.

"Rita!" Yuri and Flynn exclaimed in unison and rushed by her side. "You're awake! How are you feeling? Do you need something? Want us to call a doctor or something?" The dark-haired boy pressed her.

"I want you to stop yelling, you're making me dizzy." Rita replied, her glare still not losing any power.

Yuri wasn't sure how exactly he managed to withstand the surge of mixed emotions that swept over him. Rita was alive, awake, and still as sharp as ever, even if her tone betrayed certain tiredness.

But she had pulled it through. Relief beyond words left him grinning like an idiot for several seconds before Flynn broke the silence:

"You don't imagine how glad we are to see you awake." he said.

"Why? How long was I out?" Rita enquired.

"Barely two days, but you had us worried sick."

"We must inform Pia at once." Yuri added. "Damn Rita, the next time you do us something like this, I swear I'll kill you."

"Just try, you twat. Not a minute ago you were too busy getting lovey dovey with Flynn, under my nose. I should be the one to kill you."

"You speak too much for someone who just got out of coma." Yuri retorted with a sullen face, making Flynn laugh.

The year wasn't starting too badly, actually, was it? It seemed that somehow, Lady Luck had finally decided to pay a little attention to them.

"By the way, Rita." Yuri went on.

"Hm?"

"Happy New Year." he said, smiling.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Voilà for another chapter. And Duke enters the stage. I don't know about you but I just love that guy XD A big thanks to those who still read this insanely long story -_- If I wasn't in the middle of moving and stuff, I'd make a drawing as thanks but well...  
><strong>


	27. January 2nd to 3rd

**January 2nd – 3rd **

It was needless to say that if Rita had been allowed to leave the hospital, there would have been a huge welcome-back party at the orphanage with all the kids. Instead, only Pia, Karol, Yuri and Flynn were gathered in Rita's hospital room, eating a home-made cake and drinking hot chocolate. Next to Rita's bed, on the table, was a card sent by Estelle wishing the brunette a quick recovery and apologizing for her absence.

"How long are you gonna be stuck there?" Karol asked.

"The doctor said I can't leave before at least ten days." the girl replied sullenly. "If it hadn't been for my head, I could be out much earlier." she added, pointing at the bandage covering half her head.

"Clearly, one broken arm, hip and rib are such trivial injuries that you wouldn't have needed to stay." Yuri sneered, earning a glare from Rita.

"How did _you_ manage to get out of the hospital so quickly after getting _stabbed_?" she asked.

"Let's say I have some connections with the nurse who kindly took care of me."

"Hmph. You mean Judith. That's totally unfair."

"Now, now." Pia intervened. "No need to get so worked up, my dear Rita. You should rest as much as you can. And Yuri, stop teasing her like that, it's not good for her health right now." she then scolded Yuri who shrugged.

"She didn't go easy on me while I was still injured." he commented, remembering a certain punch he had received not so long ago.

"Come on Yuri, be a gentleman for once and give her some rest." Flynn said as he patted Yuri's arm gently. The long-haired boy looked like he was about to protest but in the end merely pouted and crossed his arms.

"Good boy." Rita said with a smirk.

Pia looked impressed. "You're probably one of the rare people who actually got Yuri to listen to you." she addressed Flynn. "Tell me your secret."

It was Karol who replied before Flynn could even say something. "Well it's easy! Flynn just has Yuri wrapped around his f–"

"I just decided to be nice today, alright?" Yuri cut him in with a glare meaning 'shut the hell up or you'll regret it'.

"The day you are nice is the day I'll hear Rita say she hates chemistry." Pia declared very seriously.

"Hey! If I hadn't been nice I wouldn't have spent half my income on your present." Yuri retorted.

"Half your income? That thing cost that much? That's insane!" Karol exclaimed.

"What did you offer her?" Flynn inquired.

"A bottle of perfume. The latest thing by Duke Pantarei. I heard women are all crazy about that guy and his stuff." Yuri replied with a shrug.

"Do you mean _Elegance_?" Flynn asked again, cocking an eyebrow of surprise.

"Yeah, that's it." Yuri nodded. "And don't give me that look, I'm not _that_ poor."

"No, no, you got it wrong. I was surprised because I met him during the New Year party and he actually wanted to give me a bottle, but I declined."

"By 'him', you mean Duke Pantarei?" Karol asked, and as Flynn nodded, he exclaimed: "Woah! That's so cool! You should have accepted if that thing costs so much!"

"And what the hell would have he done with a bottle of perfume? You idiot." Rita replied in Flynn's stead.

"Rita, don't talk to Karol like that." Pia said with a sigh. "And Karol, don't stick out your tongue to her. Dear Lord, what am I going to do with you all? Fortunately there is at least one here who knows how to behave." she added with a smile to Flynn.

"Well, I don't call him Mr Perfect for nothing." Yuri replied with a smirk as he wrapped an arm around the blonde boy's shoulders.

"Yuri..." Flynn sighed, but Pia laughed.

Yuri suddenly found himself surprised at how he had missed hearing her laugh; not two days ago she was in a complete state of despair and now she was smiling again. For a moment, his lips curled up into a smile. Another hour passed – probably too quickly – before visiting hours were over. With the promise of coming back soon, Pia and Karol went back to the orphanage while Yuri and Flynn took their bus, planning to go to their respective homes, until Yuri suddenly asked:

"Hey, can I come over? I'll make dinner, don't worry."

"I don't mind, but why not go to your place for once?"

"Because your bed is larger."

The reply took Flynn off guard and the latter had to cough to hide his embarrassment. The bus was fortunately quite empty and no one there seemed to be paying attention. He wasn't sure if Yuri realized the mental torture this was putting on him; he wasn't sure if he would be able to stand spending a third night merely _sleeping_ with Yuri in the same bed. Or maybe Yuri was actually doing it on purpose? Maybe he was tempting on purpose, waiting for him to make a move. Maybe that was the reason he had been asking to spend nights over.

Flynn glanced at the dark-haired boy who was seated next to him and who was looking back at him with faint surprise.

"Are you alright?" he asked Flynn.

"Y-Yes, I am. I just choked a bit." the latter replied. He shook his head mentally. There was no way Yuri was thinking in such a twisted way. He simply wanted to spend some time together, that was all. After all the events that had happened, it was only normal that Yuri didn't feel like staying alone. It didn't mean that Flynn could take advantage of the situation.

And yet, as days, hours, minutes and seconds passed, Flynn had come to realize that the latent desire he felt towards Yuri was growing stronger in him and he couldn't help but wonder if Yuri felt the same way. Probably not. Yuri seemed to have a way of handling a relationship that was different from most normal people; at the same time, he hadn't lived a very normal life either.

But no matter what, Flynn was still fine with it. He was fine just having Yuri by his side.

"Yes, you can stay, naturally. You don't even have to ask anymore, Yuri." he replied with a smile.

"Thanks." Yuri replied, and he sounded way too relieved for Flynn not to notice it, as if he had feared that the latter could have actually refused.

"Yuri, what is it? You know you can come whenever you want." the blonde boy inquired, slightly worried.

"Hm? Yeah, I know."

"Why were you making that face then?"

"What are you talking about?"

Flynn sighed. "Yuri... You should know by now that I can read you better than what you think. So stop pretending."

Yuri turned away, silent, before he finally replied: "I'm just wondering how are things between Altosk and the Claw."

Flynn wasn't surprised when he heard the answer. "Yeager didn't contact you even though your deadline is over, did he?" As Yuri shook his head, the blonde boy added: "To me it means that Schwann is doing his job to keep Yeager busy."

"You're probably right, but I just can't help but worry."

"It's pointless to do so." Flynn replied softly, reaching a hand to Yuri's cheek. "Listen to me. I understand that you're worried, but this matter is beyond what you can do now, so how about you trust Schwann a bit and let him handle it? You're coming to my place, but I'm warning you: if you keep brooding, I'll have you sleep on the couch." he added with a hint of humour in his tone. It seemed to work as a small smile appeared on Yuri's face. He nodded.

"You're right, as usual. And I definitely don't want to sleep on the couch." he said.

The bus soon stopped, allowing the two boys to get off. Despite being early evening, the sky was dark yet not too cold though the layer of snow on the streets was still thick enough for the whole foot to sink in it. What they didn't expect to see however was a black car parked in front of the entrance of the block of flats. Flynn recognized it all too well.

"Is it Sodia?" Yuri asked, slightly on the defensive.

"No. Worse." Flynn replied grimly.

"How worse?"

"My mother. Yuri, I think you should go back. I'm sorry but I can imagine only one topic she wants to discuss if she's here in person, and I don't want you involved in this."

"Just tell her to come back on another day?"

Flynn forced a laugh. "As if she would."

"Then I'm staying with you." Yuri replied stubbornly, but Flynn shook his head.

"Please Yuri, understand that your staying here won't make anything better. And I need to settle things with my parents once and for all."

The dark-haired male didn't look pleased at all, but he eventually nodded. "Fine. Call me once you're done." he said before turning around and walking away, though not without glancing back at Flynn once.

There was nothing he could do to help Flynn, and that fact alone was making him frustrated to no end. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel deep aversion for Flynn's parents. This wasn't how they were supposed to treat their only child; they weren't supposed to induce such a negative reaction from him. Even Pia, who wasn't even related to Yuri by blood, was much closer to a mother than anyone else would.

As he hurried back home, he tried to dismiss the helplessness that seized him.

* * *

><p>Flynn's mother was in such a bad mood that he didn't even bother offering her a cup of tea. First, she had waited for him at his place for over half an hour, and of course his mobile phone was turned off so she hadn't been able to contact him. She didn't want to hear any excuse; even in a hospital, he had to leave it on. And what was he doing in a hospital anyway?<p>

"I guess that is not the main point of your visit, mother." Flynn replied with as much respect as he could put in his tone.

"You're right. Now explain to me why I received a call from Sodia's mother telling me that the girl wanted the whole engagement to be cancelled definitely." she demanded icily as she crossed her arms and leant back against the armchair.

In front of her, Flynn refrained from sighing. "I see nothing to explain. Sodia decided to cancel it herself. She informed me about her decision during the party."

Flynn's mother slammed her hand on one of the arm of the armchair. "My question is why she made such a decision!" she snapped.

"Mother, I thought you to be a very logical and rational woman." Flynn stated very calmly. "Therefore, why are you asking me about something that only Sodia knows?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I know very well you are not innocent in this matter."

_She hasn't exactly been fair towards me either, _the blonde boy thought. "I'm deeply sorry to see you doubt your own son that much, but I assure you it was her decision alone." he replied coldly.

"You can't blame me for doubting an unreliable brat who manages to spoil all the efforts his parents are making to ensure him a brilliant future."

"And you can't blame me for doubting the veracity of your words, mother." Flynn said as he stood up to prepare himself coffee. "I know very well that the only thing that matters to you is your company's profit. If that can reassure you, Sodia has requested that our two families keep close contact with each other. Your partnership with the Vernas is therefore not threatened."

"Not threatened? Obviously you haven't heard them on the phone when they asked me for an explanation!" Flynn's mother burst out. "Their patience is wearing out, Flynn. The first time you postponed the engagement, they didn't make too much a fuss about it but a definitive cancellation is another story. You don't know the embarrassment you put your family into! They think it's because you did something unpleasant to their daughter that she doesn't want to be with you anymore, and believe me, I have no trouble believing it. You're a shame to the family. A shame!"

Flynn poured himself a cup of coffee and walked back to his seat, but his mother stopped him as she stood on his way, both fists on her hips.

"What do you have to say for your defence?" she asked, her eyes ablaze with fury.

"Family?" Flynn asked, staring straight at her defiantly. "I've never known we were actually a _family_. To you I'm only a tool to take over your business, regardless of my own will; in that case I hope you can understand that to me you are nothing more than people who made me bear the Scifo name. _Your_ name. That's the only thing you care about."

The next second, a loud crash was her as the cup in Flynn's hands found itself smashed on the floor, spilling its content on the tiles. Flynn's head was slightly turned on the side and one of his cheeks was turning a faint yet noticeable red.

"You would be nothing if it wasn't for our name." Flynn's mother let out with sheer venom in her voice. "Even now, you are nothing. Absolutely nothing. Now listen to me well: you will fix this matter with the Verna girl, I don't care how. The partnership with her family is vital and I won't accept any excuse from you."

"What if I refuse? You'll disinherit me? If you do so, I won't have any value to Sodia's eyes." Flynn replied daringly. His mother's eyes flashed in anger.

"Stupid brat. Of course we wouldn't disinherit you. But would you happen not to cooperate, your father and I will make sure you regret having so much freedom." She then strode to the door without a look back, until her hand touched the handle.

"Oh, and I'm cancelling your lease starting on next month. You'll come back to the main house and I'll see to it that your education is redone completely." she stated.

"That will be unnecessary as I've already signed the papers to buy the flat. At the end of the month, it will belong to me." Flynn replied as calmly as he could and resisting the urge to turn around and watch her mother's face as it turned crimson.

The sound of the door being slammed hard was his only clue that he had won that game. Glancing at the broken pieces of porcelain and the dark puddle at his feet, he sighed loudly. That cup was one of his favourite.

* * *

><p>Yuri laid flat on his bed, staring at the ceiling he couldn't see as the lights were turned off. He was already missing a warm chest against his, fingers playing with his hair and caressing his cheek, soft lips raising goosebumps on his skin, murmurs at his ear making him shiver with delight...<p>

And then he realized that those signs of affection weren't enough for him anymore. Sure, he loved it more than anything else when Flynn kissed him, held him tight in a comforting embrace or simply let him sleep in the same bed, but somehow it felt frustratingly limited, as if they could do much more and yet Yuri couldn't point his finger on what was lacking to completely please him. No matter how selfish it could sound, Yuri wanted Flynn to give him more, but he had no idea how.

Maybe they simply needed to spend more time together? Maybe it was just all the hectic events that were giving him the impression that Flynn wasn't giving him enough? And to be completely fair, maybe Yuri wasn't giving enough of himself either?

He tossed and turned in his bed, not really seeking sleep – it wasn't even 7 pm – but not really motivated to do anything else either. His phone wasn't too far away from him, in case Flynn called him. He could only hope things weren't going too badly at home. He felt tempted to send him a message, but he knew it was quite useless if his lover was busy dealing with his mother.

For now he just had to be patient. As he closed his eyes, he could almost picture the blonde male there with him, in his room, seated on the edge of the bed, smiling at him and stroking his hair, then leaning down to kiss him. Almost. Unfortunately, his imagination only served to make Flynn's absence feel worse. He greeted his teeth; they were supposed to spend a good evening together, after the good news of Sodia cancelling the engagement and Rita recovering steadily, and yet here he was, alone and longing for a person who was most certainly not having a good time at that moment.

All because of him. Flynn's voice rang in his head, scolding him and telling him to stop blaming himself for decisions which he had made on his own. A faint smile graced Yuri's lips. If Flynn was there, he would have taken him in his arms, maybe poked him on the forehead for bearing stupid thoughts and then kissed him to reassure him.

If he was there...

Again, Yuri felt that strange void in him, that... thing which was missing and which he couldn't name. His eyes were still closed, and he tried thinking of everything they _could_ do together. During the time he had been living in the lower quarters; there were men and women in the Claw, and naturally some of them were doomed to be attracted to each other. Yuri tried remembering the few times he had talked to them, and some pieces of conversations slowly came back to him.

At that time, he had often been made fun of, because everyone kept saying he looked way too handsome not to have a girlfriend. To which he had replied that he didn't see the point in having one and wouldn't know how to behave towards her. It was easy, they had told him. Bring her to the restaurant, make her some presents, spend time with her and...

Yuri slowly opened his eyes, feeling his cheeks progressively warm up a bit too much. _Oh._ Right. Couples did do _that_ kind of things too. When Yuri had asked why, the answer had been simple. _'Because it feels good for both of us. Real good.'_ Yuri had never really bothered about that kind of topic, not out of embarrassment but more because he had never felt concerned by it.

But now that he had Flynn, it was a whole other story. One problem remained, though: they were both males. Was it even possible for them to do anything? His lack of knowledge in that area frustrated him. It frustrated him so much that he almost missed his phone ringing. Picking it up quickly after the fifth ring, he was relieved to hear Flynn's voice on the other end:

"_Yuri, sorry for today. I wish it hadn't happened."_

"Not your fault. How did it go?" Yuri asked.

"_Unsurprisingly enough, not that well. But there could have been worse."_

"Damn, if I could do anything for you..."

"_Just knowing that you're here is enough, Yuri."_ Flynn replied, and Yuri could have almost seen the smile on the blonde's lips.

"Still, that's one sucky situation you're in. What is your mother going to do about the whole Sodia thing?"

"_I don't know and I don't care. Don't worry about that anymore. Anyway, do you still want to come over? I can send a taxi to pick you up."_

Yuri pondered for a few seconds over the suggestion. It was tempting, and yet somehow, the mood wasn't there anymore. That, and Yuri wasn't sure about how to behave in front of Flynn after his previous reflections. Maybe it was wiser to think it through a bit more. Just to make sure he didn't do any stupid move that could hinder their relationship.

"Actually I'm a bit tired, so I guess I'll pass." he said apologetically. "Sorry to drop out on you like that." he added with a small sigh.

"_No, I understand."_ There was clear disappointment in Flynn's tone._ "I'll see you tomorrow then?"_

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"_Very well then. Good night, Yuri."_

"Good night."

After hanging up, Yuri rolled back on the bed, biting his lower lip. What was he doing? Not two minutes ago, Flynn's absence was putting him in an utmost depressed state, and now he was refusing to go see him? _I need to think._ He convinced himself so. But think about what? _The future. Our future._ Did they even have one? Yuri's fingers unconsciously gripped the bedsheets. He had always acted on impulses, whims, without really considering the consequences. So far it had always worked for him, but until when? And never before had he needed to consider that another person could be linked directly to his decisions.

What had happened to Rita was an example of the risks Flynn was exposed to if Yuri acted recklessly. The mere thought of it left his throat dry as the dread of the occurrence swept over him. He took in a deep breath and relaxed his muscles – when had they turned so tense? – before closing his eyes again. It was more than time for him to start thinking before acting; and to start thinking smartly.

* * *

><p>Being woken up with a start by his phone ringing at an unholy hour in the morning wasn't the best way for Yuri to start the day; however, as he saw Flynn's name on the screen, his grumpy expression swiftly softened.<p>

"Hey Flynn, 'sup?" he asked with a half-sleepy tone.

"_Yuri, did you watch the news?"_ Flynn asked with no other ceremony.

"What? Flynn... Shall I remind you that I have no TV here?" Yuri grunted, rubbing his eyes.

"_Damn, that's true. Yuri... the lower quarters, there have been some 'incidents' yesterday night. There aren't many details, but I don't believe in coincidences, if you see what I mean."_

It took Yuri a few seconds to register Flynn's words as he was still not completely awake, but when the full implications of what he had just heard made their way to his brain, he sat up abruptly and his eyes widened.

"Yeah, I got it. I'm calling the old man right now."

"_Yur–"_

But the dark-haired boy had already cut off the line and was now scrolling down his contact list. Incidents in the lower quarters? It couldn't be what he thought it was, could it? And yet... It made almost no doubt in Yuri's head. His fingers were drumming impatiently on the bed as he waited for Raven to pick up the call. After several rings, he finally got an answer.

"_Yuri, what is it? I'm afraid we're a bit busy right now–"_

"What happened yesterday night?" Yuri interrupted Raven. A sigh answered his question.

"_The news go fast as I see. Listen, I don't have much time to talk to you–"_

"I don't need a long speech. You can summarize."

"_A summary? The summary is that we captured a girl from the Claw – I guess you know her, it's Droite – in order to force Yeager to come out, but the bastard shot another of our men. We kind of... retaliated and the night turned out to be rather bloody. Now there must be a dozen of casualties at least. We're trying to find a way inside the Claw's headquarters, but it's well defended."_

Yuri almost let his phone drop. "You captured _Droite_? Are you insane? Don't tell me you didn't know Yeager considers Gauche and Droite his own daughters and he's ready to do whatever it takes to protect them! Damn it, just how many people does he need to kill to be happy?" On a cooler tone, he added: "He wasn't like that a few years ago." he said, gritting his teeth.

"_I know, Yuri."_ Raven sighed again. _"I knew that those girls were probably the closest persons to him; that's why we targeted them. And I also know that he wasn't like that before... But men change. Listen, I can't really talk to you right now, but I'll contact you later whenever I can, OK?"_

"You'll be alright?"

"_Of course I'll be!"_ Raven replied, laughing. _"Now stop worrying and enjoy your break while you still can. I'll call you later."_

Yuri didn't have time to reply as Raven hung up immediately. Clicking his tongue of irritation, he hopped off his bed and got dressed quickly. He had to go to the lower quarters and see by himself the damage Yeager had dealt there; then he had to find the man and beat him up good. He still couldn't believe the Claw's leader could go that far; even if Raven had already warned him that a confrontation between Altosk and the Claw wouldn't end well. Why, why had Yeager changed so much?

What had happened to turn that man whom Yuri had so much respect for into a cold and heartless leader who acted like a coward?

His phone rang again, eliciting a silent curse from him. It was Flynn again.

"_Yuri, finally. Did you talk to Schwann?"_

"Yeah, he told me what happened." Yuri replied as he finished getting dressed.

"_Don't go there."_

"What do you mean?"

"_Yuri, I know you well enough to guess that you're already en route to the lower quarters."_

Silence.

"What happened is partly my fault." Yuri resumed speaking with slight annoyance in his tone. "I have to see what I can do, even if it's not much. You can't prevent me from going."

"_I can't, but the police have encircled the whole area. They aren't letting anyone in but themselves."_

"Those idiots will never be able to find Yeager. I can."

"_Yuri, please. Don't do anything reckless."_ Flynn pleaded. _"I wouldn't stand it if something were to happen to you."_

That made Yuri freeze for a second. No later than on the previous night, he had promised himself to think before acting, to think because there were people who depended on the consequences of his actions; and now he was about to do the same mistakes over again. When would he ever learn? Still... he couldn't help but feel responsible for what was happening in the lower quarters.

"_Yuri, are you still there?"_ Flynn pulled him back to the conversation.

"Yeah, I was... thinking. Flynn... I'm sorry but I'm sick of just sitting here doing nothing. I want to go, I want to beat the crap out of Yeager, at least to repay him for what he did to Rita." His voice suddenly got firm. "I promise I'll be careful and come back in one piece."

"_No you won't. Being careful and you don't fit together. Yuri, please be reasonable for once."_

"Being reasonable and me don't fit together either." the dark-haired male made an attempt at joking.

"_I fear you're right."_ Flynn sighed, then went on: _"Alright. I'll go with you then."_

"Wh–Flynn, what do you mean, you'll go with me?" Yuri asked, startled.

"_Exactly what I said. I'm coming with you to the lower quarters. And 'no' isn't an option."_

"Wait, you don't have to–"

"_Too late. I'm already at your door."_

"Wait, what?" Now Yuri was completely confused.

"_I knew that you'd want to go to the lower quarters so I hurried to your place right after you hung up on me."_ Flynn replied with a chuckle.

"So right now you were just stalling, weren't you?" Yuri asked sullenly, though he was inwardly strangely happy that Flynn could read him so well.

"_Pretty much."_

"You know it could get dangerous, don't you?"

"_Naturally. Now hurry up and let's go."_

Yuri failed at repressing a smile. The day he had met Flynn was a blessing.

* * *

><p>In conformity with what Flynn had said, the lower quarters were completely surrounded by police forces, which didn't prevent hundreds of curious people to gather in a vain attempt at seeing a house blow up. As Yuri and Flynn elbowed their ways through the crowd, they could see some smoke rising up in front of them, remnants of what had happened on the previous night.<p>

"Follow me, I know a way to sneak in." Yuri said as he pulled Flynn by the wrist. It wasn't easy to move with all those people around, but in the end both boys managed to reach a building that was just at the border of the lower quarters. Yuri led the two of them behind the building where a metallic ladder was waiting for them. Flynn would have probably missed if Yuri hadn't pointed it to him.

When they reached the roof, Yuri motioned the blonde boy to have a look around him. Flynn knew that seeing sceneries from a good height was always nice, and this time wasn't different. Giving a full gaze all around him, he saw the town covered in snow, a few early birds flying past him, a clear sky only clouded by a spot of white here and there, and the bright sun barely high enough to cast timid rays.

It would have been a pleasant place to spend time with Yuri, if it weren't for the noise and the ruckus downstairs, and those thin column of grey smokes reminding him why he was there in the first place.

And suddenly a pair of lips were on his, in a peck quick enough for Flynn to wonder if he hadn't imagined it. But the sight of Yuri's smiling face proved him it was real.

"I couldn't resist, seeing you gaze so dreamily at the landscape." the long-haired boy admitted. "Let's not linger here any longer." he added, pulling Flynn by the wrist again.

With a faint smile, Flynn nodded and followed him. The path to the lower quarters proved quite acrobatic but years of fencing had taught him the required agility to cross from a roof to another, and soon enough, they arrived at another ladder. Before taking it however, Yuri picked his phone in his pocket and dialled a number. A few seconds later, he shoved it back, irritated.

"Looks like the old man is too busy to pick up his calls." he said. "Well then, I guess we should go to the headquarters of Altosk first and see how things are there."

"I hope nothing bad happened to Schwann." Flynn commented.

"That guy's too tough and annoying for anything to happen to him. Come on, let's go." Yuri replied as he headed for the ladder.

A minute later, both boys were on the ground and on the way to Altosk's headquarters. They noticed that the window panes of most houses were shut tight and how the streets were desert. Most of the inhabitants were probably hiding or had evacuated the premises. Flynn also noticed how tightly Yuri was holding his hand, how he was always choosing the smaller alleys to the main streets, and how he kept glancing everywhere around him. His heartbeat quickened; maybe he had underestimated how dangerous the place was, maybe he had been foolish to go along with Yuri, maybe the latter was seeing him as a burden who was getting in his way...

The blonde boy mentally shook his head. Now wasn't the time to ponder about that kind of details anymore.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Flynn." Yuri suddenly murmured as if he had read his thoughts.

"Yuri..." Flynn started, but the other boy suddenly froze and pulled him closer, behind him. "What–"

"What are two kids doing out there while they should be warmly locked inside their houses with their mommies?" An unknown voice asked not so kindly.

As Flynn turned to see who was talking, he saw a man and a woman appearing from behind the corner of the street and walking to them with something pointed at them. Guns. Flynn's grip unconsciously tightened around Yuri's hand. He glanced at the latter boy; Yuri was frowning slightly but didn't look too panicked. Was it because he was used to having guns pointed at him? Or because he didn't think the two people standing in front of them wouldn't dare pull the trigger?

"Yuri Lowell." the woman finally spoke, and it was at that moment that Yuri recognized her. She along with the man beside her had been there with Don Whitehorse on the day Raven had brought him to the leader of Altosk. "Who's he?" she asked, indicating Flynn.

"A friend of mine."

"Should we bring him along?" the woman asked her companion.

"I'm not sure. Raven only mentioned to bring the Lowell kid if we found him."

"Raven?" Yuri asked, blinking. "The old man knew I'd come?"

"Apparently you're too predictable, kid." the man replied, sneering. "Anyway, you tell your friend here to go back. He's got nothing to do here."

"Flynn's coming with me. The old man knows him." Yuri stated firmly.

The man seemed to hesitate but the woman merely shrugged. "We don't have time to waste. Let's take both kids to Raven."

"You're right. Come on, hurry up you two."

The boys didn't need to be told twice as they followed their guides to their destination.

"How's the situation with Yeager?" Yuri asked on the way.

"The bastard has refused to negotiate anything. Apparently he doesn't give a damn about the girl we captured." the man replied, much to Yuri's surprise.

"He has? You're telling me he's ready to abandon Droite, just like that?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"Well, he probably knows Whitehorse isn't the kind to actually kill his hostages. And to Yeager she's probably just another pawn anyway."

"Wait no, that sounds very wrong." Yuri said, shaking his head. "I know for a fact that Yeager considers Droite and Gauche as his own daughters, and he values them over anything else."

"Well it doesn't really matter anyway. The fact is, we can't find a way to get to him without creating another bloodshed."

"Yuri, don't you know one?" Flynn asked. "You should be familiar with the premises, right?"

The dark-haired boy nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess."

"We've arrived." the woman announced.

Yuri didn't have any trouble recognizing the place they had arrived at. It was very close to where the Leviathan's Claw's headquarters were. He turned to Flynn, who looked surprisingly determined not to show any fear. He only hoped he hadn't made a mistake by agreeing on bringing the blonde boy along.

The small group entered a side house and climbed a set of stairs to reach a large room where about twenty people were gathered. Among them, the familiar faces of Raven, Judith and Whitehorse. They were in the middle of a discussion, most certainly about Yeager. As soon as Raven saw Yuri, he gave a resigned smile.

"Why doesn't it surprise me to see you here, Yuri?" he said as a greeting.

"Hey, apparently you were expecting me."

"We start understanding how stubborn you are." Judith nodded. "However, it's unexpected to see Flynn here."

"I was the one who insisted on coming." Flynn replied. "To make sure Yuri doesn't do anything too stupid."

"Hey, that's not nice!" Yuri retorted.

"More importantly, Yuri Lowell, do you know the Claw's headquarters well?" Whitehorse intervened.

"I know enough to find a way in." the boy replied.

"Very well. I didn't want to do that, but I fear I'll have to ask for your help." Whitehorse said gravely.

"You could have done that earlier." Yuri smirked, but the older man shook his head.

"As I said, I didn't want to. I would have liked to avoid dragging you in this mess. There have been enough casualties like that."

"But now you don't have much choice."

"Unfortunately, Yeager has chosen to abandon his protégée. We assumed wrongly that the girl we captured could be a good leverage on him." Raven replied. "This, as you said, leaves us with no choice but to use force to take him down."

Again, Yuri shook his head. "This doesn't make sense at all. He would never abandon Droite. If there's one thing I learnt when I was in the Claw, it's that he values her and Gauche dearly."

"You had never expected him to send Zagi to kill you." Flynn commented. "That didn't prevent him from doing it anyway."

"I told you, Yuri." Raven added. "People change."

"What did you do with Droite anyway?" Yuri inquired.

"She's locked up in our headquarters." Whitehorse replied. "You don't have to worry about her, she's well treated. And that reminds me that she actually requested to leave you a message." he added pensively. "It sounded so absurd to me that I pretty much forgot about it."

"What's the message?" Yuri asked.

"_'Help Yeager. He's not himself anymore.' _That's what she said."

"Help him?" Yuri frowned. He couldn't help but agree on the last part though. Yeager had changed. But how was he supposed to help him? He had tried to _kill_ Yuri. How could he even convince Yeager to turn back to being the respectable leader who had taken him under his wings when Yuri needed it the most?

"Now isn't the time to think about this." Whitehorse interrupted his thoughts. "Yuri Lowell, I need you to guide me and my men to Yeager. Can you do that? You have every right to refuse, of course. I can understand if you think this is too dangerous."

"I can do it, but I can't guarantee that we won't have a welcome committee when we arrive."

"We'll deal with that. If we can get him by surprise, this will be an advantage for us."

"Are you really sure you want to come?" Raven asked, and for once, he looked very serious.

"I didn't come all the way here to back off at the last minute. I want to have things settled with Yeager." Yuri replied firmly.

"And you also want to go because of Droite's message." Raven sighed.

"I want to understand why he has come to such extents."

"You are not the only one." the other man said, his eyes suddenly gazing away, as if he had been talking more to himself than to Yuri.

"Do you intend to kill Yeager?" Yuri asked.

"It is a possibility we cannot ignore." Raven replied grimly as he crossed his arms. "Even though I don't like the idea."

Whitehorse shook his head. "I don't either. But after yesterday's events, I doubt we can prevent blood from spilling again. At least I'll make sure it is not ours. That is why, Yuri Lowell, I will ask you to stay behind once we reach our destination. Do you understand?"

Yuri was about to protest when his eyes turned involuntarily to Flynn. The deep worry he read on his face was enough to hesitate. No matter how much he wanted to pay Yeager back, what use would it be if something serious happened to him in the process?

"Yeah, I understand." he finally replied, and the faint smile he received from Flynn told him that it was the right answer.

Whitehorse nodded. "Then I guess we shouldn't waste more time."

The man started giving out orders, gathering the people there and assigning tasks to them. About a dozen of them were to come along with Whitehorse, including Raven and Judith. All of them had a gun armed in their hands, except for the leader of Altosk who had two. While they were preparing, Yuri had motioned Flynn to follow him in a corner of the room. Not caring if anyone was watching, the long-haired boy took Flynn's hands in his own and stared straight into his sapphire eyes.

"Flynn, once we're done with this, we'll go to your place, I'll cook you all your favourite dishes and then we'll spend a damn nice evening together, with no one and nothing to annoy us." he said very seriously.

The blonde boy blinked twice, not actually expecting Yuri to say something like that, then sighed while his lips curled into a smile.

"You'd better." he replied. "Does this mean you're promising me not to do anything that could send you to the hospital?"

"Hey, you don't like visiting me at the hospital?" Yuri asked jokingly.

"I'd rather avoid having my boyfriend spend his time there, if you ask me."

"Boyfriend?" A feminine voice interrupted them. "That's interesting."

Both boys jumped and turned to see Judith standing next to them, smiling.

"I didn't want to eavesdrop." she said with a neutral tone, though the small sparkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. "I just came to tell you we're ready to go. And also, Raven and I want you to come too, Flynn." she added, much to the latter's surprise, but it was Yuri who protested first:

"Why Flynn? He could get hurt, and he has nothing to do with this!"

"I fear I'd only be a burden on you all." Flynn added. "I don't want to get in Yuri's way."

"You don't, but we do." Judith replied, her smile broadening. "You're the best guarantee that Yuri won't suddenly feel the urge to act stupidly."

"Hey, I did say I would stay behind!" Yuri retorted.

"Sorry if we all have troubles believing you." Judith shrugged.

"I have to admit I share the same feeling as her." Flynn nodded, earning a glare from the other boy.

"You can say goodbye to your favourite dishes." he muttered.

"Alright, boys!" Judith interrupted them again, shoving in the back to where the rest of the group was waiting. "You can say sweet words to each other later. For now we have more urgent matters to deal with."

"I refuse to let Flynn accompany us!" Yuri insisted stubbornly. "That's completely ridiculous!"

However, the blonde boy shook his head. "I'm coming, Yuri. I've come all the way here, I'm staying with you. I want to make sure you'll be alright."

"You heard him." Judith said firmly. "Now come on." She pushed Yuri to Whitehorse.

"We need to know exactly how you plan to have us get into the Claw's headquarters. How far, how exposed, how long the path is and any other details that you think we should be aware of." the man requested. The other members were standing all around him and looking at Yuri, some with partial incredulity, others with more seriousness. Only Raven and Judith were smiling at him. In all honesty, Yuri didn't really care.

"It's a passage that leads to where my room was and which I often took with Gauche and Droite when we wanted to sneak out a bit late at night. We stopped using it after a year though, because some parts of the passage had started crumbling a bit so I'm pretty sure Gauche has forgotten about it. The entrance is on the roof of the building you see in front of you." Yuri pointed at the window.

"If it has crumbled, how do we use it?" one of the members of the group asked.

"Well, I actually used it again a few times afterwards. Only a few parts collapsed so it's a bit dangerous here and there but nothing really bad." Yuri replied. He then started briefing them on the path to take and, a few minutes later, the small group was following Yuri outside.

There were Altosk members scattered a bit everywhere in the streets, keeping their eyes open for any suspicious movements. However, there were no incidents all along the way and soon enough, Yuri was reaching the end of a dark corridor where a small staircase was waiting. On the ceiling was a trapdoor, a bit rusty but still intact. By the time he noticed it, his heart was actually racing. Only now was he realizing what he was doing. He was helping people capture his former mentor, who had taught him how to live and survive during three whole years.

Droite's words rang in his head again. _Help Yeager._ How? _He's not himself anymore._ Why? He shook his head mentally. The timing was very bad to get distracted like that.

"We're there." the dark-haired boy announced. Behind him, the sounds of safety locks being removed from guns were heard, along with a few murmurs. Flynn, who was standing next to him, put a hand on his shoulder.

"Then let's go." he said. "I'm staying with you."

Yuri nodded, then climbed the few steps separating him from the trapdoor and opened it. A few wooden planks were covering the exit, but it was a matter of seconds for Yuri to push them away. He then carefully climbed outside, only to find himself in a familiar room. It was dark for the curtains were drawn, but he immediately recognized his former room, with the bed over there, and the cupboard on the other side, and...

"Don't move. If you or any of your friends down there try something suspicious, I'm blowing up your head."

That voice... Yuri didn't even need to turn around to know who had just talked to him.

Gauche. So she remembered about the passage.

* * *

><p>"Well, well, well. If it isn't Don Whitehorse who has come to pay me a visit."<p>

Comfortably seated in a sofa and a glass of wine in his gloved hand, Yeager was looking at the older man with a smirk on his lips. The whole group had been disarmed and was now standing in front of the leader of the Leviathan's Claw, under close watch of the other members. The room they were being held in was large yet with few pieces of furniture. It was the room Yeager usually received people in. Yuri stared for a long time at him. It was hard for him to believe that the man in front of him wasn't the same as three years ago.

His appearance was still the same as ever; with that natural elegance that would have made more than one woman's heart melt, that long strand of ebony hair falling graciously on the side of his head, and that never-fading smile on his lips.

"And you too Yuri. You who left the Claw and now come back to betray me." he said casually before lifting his eyes to the man who was standing right behind Yuri. "And of course, my dearest friend Raven. How have you been doing all these years?" he asked, finally standing up from his sofa and walking towards the group.

"Pretty fine, if you ask me." Raven replied as if it was the most natural thing to do right now. "Though I'd probably feel better if you were put behind bars."

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that. Not now, at least. But tell me, who would this charming lady be? Your replacement for Casey?" Yeager asked, and Yuri noticed Raven immediately clenching his fists and his expression hardening. Who was this Casey?

"I'm afraid I am merely a nurse who happened to meet Raven by chance, and I'm certainly not a replacement for anyone." Judith replied very courteously, as usual.

"Is that so? I'd have believed otherwise." Yeager then walked to Whitehorse. "Where is Droite?"

"Why are you caring about her now?" the imposing man asked back, staring with no fear at Yeager. "If you actually wanted her back, why did you refuse any negotiations?"

Yeager's face actually turned colder. "I've never stopped caring about her, and I have no obligation to justify my actions, I think. But it doesn't matter now. Once I get rid of all of you, I'll get her back."

"My men have received the order to kill her if I don't come back in the next two hours." Whitehorse replied, but Yeager merely laughed.

"I don't believe you. You'd never do something like that. You're too... _noble_ for that."

"You weren't much different from him, not so long ago." Yuri intervened coldly. "Why have you fallen so low?"

"Low? Me? When was I ever low?" Yeager asked, surprised.

"When you almost killed one of our friends who had nothing to do with you."

Unexpectedly, it was Flynn who had replied, and anger could clearly be seen in his eyes. Yeager turned to him.

"Ah, you... Flynn Scifo, isn't it? Only heir of the great Scifo family and Yuri's weak spot, from what I've heard. I wonder what sort of business you had to come here." he said. "Or maybe you simply followed Yuri here out of pure _love_? Like a knight to protect him?"

In spite of himself, Flynn flushed but his glare didn't lose in intensity for all that. Yuri glanced at the blonde boy with concern, wishing with all his might that Flynn would remain silent. It wasn't good to play with fire like that.

"You remind me of myself and Casey." Yeager continued addressing Flynn, though he gave a quick glance in Raven's direction. "Don't you agree with me, Raven? Do you remember that time when the two of us would do anything to protect her?"

"That belongs to the past. I don't like dwelling on the past." Raven replied, pretending not to care.

Yuri's curiosity rose. Again with that Casey. Apparently that person was the link between Raven and Yeager, but Yuri couldn't understand exactly who exactly that person was to them.

"You're right. Let's talk about the present." Yeager nodded as he turned to Whitehorse again. "And the present dictates me to get rid of you, Don, and make the whole Altosk fall with you."

"You have become mad, Yeager." Whitehorse declared. "I'm certain you know that the police are searching the lower quarters. It's a matter of time before they get to us."

"The lower quarters are big, and my men are good at keeping the police busy." Yeager replied nonchalantly.

"Even so, you don't look so worried about them. Are you forgetting it is Alexei who is leading them?" Whitehorse asked.

The leader of the Claw didn't reply immediately. Instead, he stared haughtily at Whitehorse for several seconds before taking a sip of his glass of wine. Yuri frowned. There was something that didn't fit well with his attitude, yet Yuri couldn't pinpoint what exactly was wrong. He simply had a bad feeling about the whole atmosphere.

"That man, Alexei..." Yeager resumed speaking, still gazing at his glass. "I'm not forgetting him at all." he added, more to himself.

"Then you should know that your actions have put not only you, but all of us in a precarious situation. Alexei is going to use this mess as an excuse to get rid of all of us." Whitehorse replied gravely.

"I'm afraid that is where you are wrong, Don. The only ones who should be worried would be you."

"What do you mean?"

"There are times when making a deal with people you don't necessarily like proves useful." Yeager replied, his tone suddenly turning cold. The grip on his glass became tighter.

Raven opened his eyes wide. "You don't mean–"

"You are smart, Raven. You know what I mean." The smile on Yeager's face had vanished, making Yuri feel even more uneasy than earlier. Next to him, Flynn didn't look less tense, and Yuri found himself wondering for the hundredth time why he hadn't stopped his lover from coming to this place. His hand reached unconsciously to Flynn's, and somehow the mere touch of their fingers reassured him a bit.

"Enlighten me, Raven." Whitehorse said, though the frown of worry creasing his forehead was a sign that he was beginning to understand too.

"I fear our dear friend here made a deal with Alexei to save his neck while having us disposed of." the grey-haired man replied before turning to Yeager. "Why? Why would you come to such means?"

At those words, the other members of Altosk stifled curses and exclamations of disbelief.

"Yuri, what on earth is this about?" Flynn murmured, frowning deeply. "I thought underground organizations didn't like the police much and usually avoided doing business with them."

"To be honest, that doesn't really surprise me anymore." Yuri replied. The uneasy feeling that had been gnawing him vanished. So that was it. At first he had thought that Yeager had been pressured by Alexei to work for him, but it seemed like the assumption had been a bit inaccurate after all.

"Why?" Yeager repeated. "You ask me why? Obviously because I have something to gain from it."

"You've been working for Alexei willingly all this time." Yuri stated out loud, with clear disdain in his voice. His former mentor turned to him.

"A kid like you can't understand. If there is something I want, I'll do whatever it takes to get it."

"You have changed, Yeager." Raven said. "What did Alexei promise you in exchange? What could he possibly have for you to willingly betray us like that?"

But before the other man had time to reply, the doors of the room burst open, making everyone turn to see what was happening.

Yuri recognized the intruder immediately for having seen him on a picture and the television.

"Well, well, well! I see that you have been up to my expectations, Yeager." the man said as he strode to the Claw's leader.

Alexei Dinoia. Behind him followed a troop of police officers, all armed and ready to shoot anyone who would get in their chief's way. However, they looked almost childish compared to Alexei. The authority emanating from him was such that he inspired fear and respect simply with his bearing alone. The man was dressed in a red and black uniform, and the badge representing his function as chief of the national security forces was pinned on his chest. He walked with assurance, as if this place was his. Even his voice inspired deference towards him.

A glance at Yeager revealed to Yuri that he didn't look particularly pleased by the flashy entrance; even though he was trying to act indifferent.

"I suggest you order everyone to drop their weapons before anyone gets hurt accidentally, Yeager." Alexei said loudly as he gazed around him.

The Claw's leader seemed upset by the show of authority, but after several silent of staring at each other, he made a short motion of his head. The members of the Claw looked hesitating, but in the end they put down their guns on the floor, slowly, and muttering protests.

"So this is the famed Don Whitehorse, leader of Altosk, a prominent organization which would have been quite powerful if it had been legal." Alexei addressed Whitehorse, completely oblivious of the heinous stares that were directed at him.

"We do what we have to do in order to survive, Alexei Dinoia." the latter replied. "But I don't expect someone who has everything to lose to understand. Now tell me, do you feel proud that you have been able to capture me, knowing that you were only able to do so because you received help from an illegal organization?"

There were several sneers among the Altosk members.

"I can already see the headlines tomorrow." one of them said. "_Baby Alexei asks help from an underground organization to arrest another underground organization._ Legit enough?"

The other members laughed.

"I fear that is the kind of information the press is supposed never to know." Judith however sighed.

At her sight, Alexei walked to her and lifted her chin with one hand, staring at her with disdain. "If it isn't Miss Judith. When you left us, I never suspected that you would join this side. That's too bad for you; you had a promising career within the security forces. And so had you, Mr Schwann. But you chose to leave anyway, despite what I've done for you." he added, turning to Raven.

Both Yuri and Flynn looked at him with perplexity in their eyes. The more they heard, the less they could understand. Yuri made a mental note to force the truth out of Raven later; before he remembered that they had yet to get out of their tricky situation first.

"In any case, I'd like to correct a point." Alexei went on as he walked to Yeager again. "The headlines tomorrow will simply be: _The police forces dismantle the underground organization responsible for the bloodshed of Monday_."

"But you're wrong!" Flynn exclaimed, much to Yuri's distraught. "Altosk wasn't the one who initiated it, it was the Leviathan's Claw!"

"Shut it, boy." Whitehorse warned severely. "The man in front of you isn't the kind of man to bother about such details. Though I appreciate your intervention." he added on a warmer tone.

"Oh but you shouldn't scold this young man here." Alexei said. "For he is right. And as Chief of the police forces, my duty is to eliminate those who infringed the law. That is to say you, Yeager."

The next second, before anyone could react, he had his gun pointed at Yeager's chest. The police officers who had come along quickly moved around the room to encircle both the members of Altosk and the Claw, taking aim at them. Gauche, who was standing next to her foster father, stepped forward to place herself between both men, but Yeager pushed her back behind him.

"What is the meaning of this, Alexei?" Yeager asked, frowning at him.

"I said so, didn't I? My duty is to eliminate those who break the law." Alexei replied calmly.

"I did everything you told me to! I even brought you Whitehorse!" the other man protested.

"It looks like your betrayal game didn't work out that well in the end, Yeager." Whitehorse stated calmly.

"I wouldn't rejoice so much if I were you, Whitehorse. It will be your turn soon." Yeager replied, though his eyes were still on the man who was pointing a gun at him. "Alexei, you should know that you won't get out of this alive if you try anything against me. My men–"

"–have been disposed of." Alexei finished the sentence. "Well the most persistent ones at least. For the others, a simple financial compensation was enough to convince them they should better mind their own business."

Yeager stepped back, his eyes wide of surprise.

"You're lying!" Gauche exclaimed. "Yeager, he's just saying so to confuse us! Don't believe him!"

"You can choose not to believe me." the police chief went on. "But the truth won't change."

"You're lying, just lying!" Gauche repeated.

"You can try to contact your friends, if you wish. I kindly grant you that right."

At those words, the red-haired girl froze and swallowed hard.

"What is it?" Alexei asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Why don't you try? Or maybe you have, haven't you?"

As Gauche still kept silent, Yeager urged her impatiently: "Well?"

"I... I have indeed tried. Less than an hour ago." the girl replied. "N-None of the ones I've called replied."

"Why didn't you inform me of that?" Yeager asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I thought it was because they were busy dealing with Altosk!" Gauche's voice broke into a sob. Around them, the other members of the Claw and even a few from Altosk were whispering among them as tension and panic was slowly building up. Some of them were already looking terrified and yet didn't dare move because of the officers around the place.

"Stupid girl." Yeager muttered under his breath before turning to Alexei again. "You. I'll make you pay for what you've done."

He clenched his fists. His whole body was tense and his eyes were burning with rage. "Sooner or later. I'll be certain you pay for it."

"You didn't make a smart move, Alexei." Whitehorse intervened. "I'm not sure people will approve of your killing spree.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Judith replied reluctantly. "That man can manipulate information well enough to make them believe he was forced to kill people for the greater good."

"You know me well, Judith." Alexei nodded with a faint smile. "But in our current case, I won't even need to manipulate anything as my actions are indeed for the greater good."

"I can't believe that's the real face of the man who is so admired for his actions within the police forces." Flynn let out even though he knew perfectly well that it would have been wiser to keep his mouth shut.

Alexei turned his sharp eyes to him, but instead of disdain, there was a sort of condescending sympathy in his gaze.

"Your name, young man?"

"Flynn Scifo." Flynn replied without flinching.

"Scifo, isn't it? I see. I won't question what a member of the Scifo family is doing here. Well then Mr Scifo, you speak as if I am a bandit, and yet I am quite certain that my actions are exactly what my duties require me to do. Therefore I'd be very curious to know what you are reproaching me." he said quietly, which seemed to take Flynn by surprise.

"You... You're deceiving people! You claim to get rid of crime and yet you associate yourself with people like Yeager!" he replied.

"I wouldn't call that an association, but rather, a plan to infiltrate and destroy harmful organizations."

"So you're admitting that you broke our deal." Yeager intervened, barely controlling the anger in his voice.

"I don't remember making any deal with you, Yeager." Alexei replied casually. "I only remember stating to the citizens of this nation that I would hunt down anything that gets in justice's law. You have disrupted the peace of this town with your killings, and therefore I must take action."

"You bastard!" Gauche exclaimed as she was about to rush at the man, but Yeager blocked her way with one arm. "You were the one who forced him to do so! You were the one who contacted us first, ordering us to–"

"Gauche, enough." Yeager cut her in sharply.

"But–"

"I said 'enough'." he then turned to Alexei. "Tell me, what exactly do you plan to do now?"

"Isn't it obvious? As I said before, the police forces will dismantle the Leviathan's Claw and arrest its leader who will receive a fair trial for his actions. All the others will be allowed to resume a normal life, with no consequences whatsoever."

Yeager's clenched fists were white and trembling of repressed fury. "Don't try to look magnanimous. What about _her_? What about the promise you made to save _her_?" His tone rose, and sheer despair could now be heard in it.

Her? Yuri wondered. Who was 'her'? A quick glance at Gauche showed that she didn't seem to know either. But as the question crossed his mind, an answer to another question hit him. So that was the reason behind Yeager's change of behaviour. Alexei had manipulated him all along with the promise to save a certain person; apparently that person was someone very dear to Yeager, but during all the three years he had spent alongside the man, Yuri had never heard him mention anyone close to him.

"Oh, about that..." Alexei shook his head with a tragic sigh. "I'm afraid we haven't been able to save her. The implant failed on her, unfortunately. She left us this morning. I apologize for not telling you earlier. We did our best, though."

At that moment, Yuri was offered a rare view: Yeager being completely stunned, his face drained of all blood, his eyes widening and reflecting too many emotions to be described; most of them were screaming his inward hurt and despair and Yuri wouldn't have been surprised if, at that instant, Yeager had screamed his pain out to the world. He fell on his knees, looking completely lost. Gauche immediately crouched by his side, trying to shake him up and calling out his name repeatedly.

"Whoever she was, she had to be someone extremely close to him." Flynn murmured, distressed by the scene in front of him. Yuri was about to reply when he heard Raven talk to himself with a not less troubled voice:

"It can't be... her... No, it must be someone else..."

Next to him, Judith rubbed his back, looking concerned. She was biting her lower lip.

"Arrest him." Alexei ordered two of his men.

"No!" Gauche exclaimed as she picked up her gun.

Everything happened in less than a second. She rushed at Alexei and pointed her weapon at him. The sound of a gunshot echoed in the whole room.

Silence followed, during which all eyes turned to the main scene. Alexei was the only one standing. Gauche was on the floor, sitting and sobbing. In her arms was Yeager. His chest was covered in blood.

"Why?" she asked, tears falling down her cheeks. "Why did you save me?"

"You're... my daughter... It is... my duty to... protect you... and Droite..." Yeager spoke with difficulty. He was smiling faintly.

Around them, most of those who had watched the scene were shocked.

"I... I'm not sure of what just happened." Flynn murmured to Yuri. The latter's face was grim.

"Yeager jumped out at the last second and pushed Gauche aside. The bullet hit him." he replied after a few seconds.

"You bastard!" They heard a member of the Claw shout as he picked up his own weapon and aimed. But the next second, a cry of pain resounded. The man was holding his bloodied arm with his hand.

There was sudden disorder as some other members started producing knives from their belts and the security forces got ready to shoot.

"Hold!" Alexei's strong voice was heard. "Do not spill blood unnecessarily." he ordered. "And you, members of the Leviathan's Claw, try to think before you act. My men here belong to the elite forces, you stand no chance against them." Then he turned to Gauche who was still crying and holding Yeager. "I deplore this outcome. But what is done is done. With the leader of the Claw dead, I have no further business here anymore. We're withdrawing."

He started heading back to the exit, but as he walked past the group from Altosk, Whitehorse called him out:

"Where do you think you're going like that? You come, put a damn mess here and just leave? What kind of man are you?"

Alexei stopped walking, but didn't even grant Whitehorse a look. "Don't push your luck, Whitehorse. Today you are on the victims' side, so I'm letting you go, but the next time we meet, it will certainly be less pleasant." He made another step before pausing again. "Oh, and next time we meet, I hope not to see you on the wrong side, Miss Judith, Mr Schwann."

This time Alexei left for good, followed by his men.

It was over, but Yuri didn't know if he had to rejoice about it.

* * *

><p>Needless to say, the hours that followed were complete chaos for the lower quarters. The Leviathan's Claw was no more and Altosk wasn't in a better shape. Gauche refused to let anyone touch Yeager's body, until she cried herself to exhaustion. Whitehorse ordered a report on the current situation: damage and casualties. Raven and Judith stayed there to help gathering the corpses or treating the injured.<p>

In the middle of the mess, Yuri found out that the toughest for him was to inform Droite – who had been released – that instead of helping Yeager as she had requested, he had witnessed his death. If there was something he was certain of, it was that he would never forget that void look that filled the girl's eyes as he announced the news.

"But there's at least one thing I can say." he said gravely. "Yeager didn't change. Deep inside, he was always the same man, who cared for you two more than anyone else."

"His... his last words..." Gauche hiccuped as she was holding her sister tightly in her arms. "His last words were for us to keep on living... Though I don't know how we can do that... with him gone."

Yuri lowered his head and remained silent. There was nothing he could say to cheer them up anyway. He left both girls alone and went to find Flynn who was outside, seated on a bench, looking rather lost.

"I still can't believe everything that has happened." he said as Yuri went to sit next to him. "This is... I mean, a man was actually killed in front of me, and even though it was Yeager, I can't bring myself to think that he deserved it."

Yuri put a hand on his back. "He didn't deserve it. He was a puppet of Alexei all this time."

Never before had Yuri felt so bitter. A few hours ago, he was ready to deal with Yeager by himself, yet now he realized that he had the completely wrong target. He lowered his head.

"Droite had asked me to help him. To freaking _help_ him! And I didn't do a damn thing!"

"You couldn't, Yuri." Flynn tried to reassure him, though the melancholy in his voice didn't help the dark-haired boy much.

"That's the problem! I can't do anything! I can only watch as people around me gets hurt, or killed!"

"Yuri, it's not your fault! Calm down." Flynn grabbed Yuri's shoulders and forced him to look at him. "Calm down." he repeated. "No one could have done anything. You have nothing to blame yourself for."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Yuri asked wryly.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm sorry if it doesn't work. I'm not good with words." Flynn pulled Yuri in his arms and held him tight, one hand rubbing his back and the other stroking his long hair. He could feel Yuri relax a bit, much to his relief. He then laid a kiss on his forehead, but Yuri quickly cupped the blonde's cheeks and brought their lips together. The kiss tasted bitterness. But it tasted deliverance at the same time. As they pulled apart, he whispered:

"None of us are good with words."

* * *

><p>Not a single light was on in Raven's house. The man was lying on his bed, his head resting on his hands, thoughtful. If someone had been able to see through the dark, they would have read in his grey eyes the pain of an old scar reopening.<p>

They would have also seen that next to him, on the mattress, was a picture of a beautiful woman with an orange flower in her hair.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Omg I'm so sorry for the long wait. I've started my master's thesis which means I practically have no time for anything anymore D: I hope this chapter made up for the wait. It's the end of the Yeager arc. And yes I know, it's sad. Next chapter will actually be a sort of interlude. A short chapter about Raven, Yeager and Casey, because for some reason I love those three *_* The sadness that the game doesn't develop more on them... Anyway, there's not much Flyuri but this will be fixed soon XD  
><strong>


	28. Interlude

**Interlude  
><strong>

"_Those guys from patrol 4 are so damn lucky!"_

"_You mean Schwann and Yeager?"_

"_Yeah, they have Casey in their team! Man, I wish we had such a beauty in ours."_

"_You don't choose your luck, mate."_

"_I know, I know... I wonder if she already has someone."_

"_Stop dreaming. How can a girl like her not have someone?"_

"_I guess you're right."_

"_Patrol 7! Stop talking and resume the training!"_

"_Y-Yes, Captain Dinoia!"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Be careful, Yeager. It seems everyone here wants to steal your Casey." Raven said jokingly. The young black-haired man chuckled at those words.<em>

"_I'll defend my fiancée with all my might against any troublesome suitors." he replied, directing his eyes to the girl who was in the kitchen, preparing some tea._

"_Aren't we chivalrous?" Raven laughed before adding: "How about me? Am I not one of those troublesome suitors?"_

"_I've hung out with you for long enough to know that you try to seduce every fine woman out here without ever being serious about a single one of them." Yeager replied with a smirk. Raven pretended to be offended but it was a feminine voice who spoke:_

"_That's not a nice thing to say to a friend, Yeager." Casey said, bringing a tray with steaming cups on it. "Raven, don't let yourself be badmouthed like that by that idiot."_

"_It's fine, I'm used to it." Raven sighed tragically. "Anyway, how are the preparations for the wedding doing?"_

"_Quite fine. We should send the invitations soon." Casey replied with a bright smile._

"_Except for you, Raven." Yeager added as he produced a card from the pocket of his jacket and handed it to his friend. "You get to receive it today. As my man of honour."_

_Raven blinked several times, staring stupidly at the card until his friend grew impatient and shoved it into his hand._

_Casey graced them with a bright laughter._

* * *

><p>"<em>If anything happened to me, you'd take care of her, wouldn't you?" Yeager asked, leaning on the balcony and gazing at the landscape in front of him.<em>

"_Come on, why would anything happen to you?" Raven patted Yeager's shoulder._

"_We aren't doing the safest of jobs."_

"_You'll be fine. You've always been one of the best, and so has Casey. So don't start talking about stuff like that, especially when you're going to get married in less than two weeks."_

_Yeager turned to the other young man, seriousness written all over his face._

"_I just want to make sure she'll be fine, even without me." he said. "Promise me, Raven."_

"_Yeager..." Raven sighed, but seeing that his friend wasn't going to give up, he finally nodded. "I promise. You don't even have to ask. Of course I'd make sure she's fine. But Yeager, the best way for her to be fine is to have you by her side. So don't you dare do anything stupid that would leave her alone. And..." he paused. "Don't you dare do anything stupid that would leave _me_ alone." he added._

_Yeager smiled. "Come on, as soon as you find a nice woman you'll totally forget that I even existed."_

_Raven gave him a small punch at those words. "Don't be stupid, moron." he muttered. "Anyway, I hope you haven't forgotten to order fire lilies for the wedding." he added on a lighter tone._

"_Of course I haven't. Casey would kill me if I forgot to order her favourite flowers. But don't change the topic."_

_Raven sighed again. "Why are you suddenly so keen on depressing topics?"_

"_I guess it's the fact that I'm soon to marry her that makes me realize how difficult it's going to be to keep her happy." Yeager replied, gazing again at the landscape._

"_You'll manage. And Casey is strong, so you shouldn't worry too much."_

"_I know." Yeager turned to Raven again. "Tell me, Raven, and tell me honestly. You like Casey, don't you?"_

_The normally calm and collected Raven jumped slightly before his eyes met with Yeager's. There was a short silence during which they merely looked at each other, in all honesty, as if Yeager already knew the answer, and Raven knew that he knew._

"_She chose you, and I'm very fine with that." the young man finally replied, smiling faintly. "I couldn't have given her half of what you already gave her."_

"_Liar."_

"_Oh come on, you know that I love women too much to get attached to only one!" Raven joked._

"_Liar." Yeager repeated, and now an amused smile was adorning the lips of both men. _

_Then they laughed._

"_I'm glad to have you as my friend, Raven."_

"_Same here, same here."_

* * *

><p>"At that time, he was my closest friend. No, he was more than a friend. I wouldn't have hesitated to risk my life for him." Raven said in a whisper, staring with empty eyes at the similarly empty desk. Yeager's office was furnished with the same elegance that characterized him. It was tidy, with a personal library against the wall, old-style sofas and on the desk was a picture of a gorgeous woman with a bright orange flower in her hair.<p>

"And he would have risked his for you." Judith replied, her hand stroking the man's back affectionately.

"I know. And Casey knew it too. Sometimes she'd tell me she was jealous of me for getting too much of Yeager's attention." Raven chuckled, though sadness was painted all over his face.

"Did she know that you liked her?"

There was a short moment of silence. "I don't think so. It was better that way. I thought all three of us could keep on living like that. What a fool."

Judith kept silent. She didn't need to ask, for she knew that Raven was going to tell her about what had happened anyway. The burden on him was all too visible. He needed to talk.

* * *

><p><em>It only took a few seconds for the mission to turn into a disaster. In front of his incredulous eyes was lying Casey's unconscious body, covered in blood.<em>

_He saw Yeager run to her, shouting her name in despair._

_He saw the other sniper, taking aim._

_His voice was covered by the bang of the rifle being shot._

_He saw Yeager fall._

_Another bang._

_His vision blurred._

_His hands felt a warm liquid pouring out of him._

_He saw darkness._

* * *

><p><em>Light progressively filled his eyes, hurting them. He was lying on something soft, and found himself unable to move a limb. There was a mask on his nose and mouth. He tried opening his eyes completely and blinked. A blurry silhouette was the first thing he saw, getting sharper and sharper as he regained consciousness.<em>

"_Mr Schwann, can you hear me? Nod if you can."_

_Nod._

"_Good. Mr Schwann, you were lucky. Your patrol was ambushed but you were found by the captain's team. Do you understand?"_

_Nod._

"_Good. I will call Captain Dinoia now. He will tell you the rest."_

* * *

><p>"And that's when he told me about the implant." Raven said.<p>

Judith's eyes lowered to Raven's chest and her hand reached out to where his heart was. Or was supposed to be. Through the fabric of his shirt, her fingers felt metal, and a strong beat, but the latter didn't sound natural.

"At least it's not inaccurate to say that I'm heartless. Literally." Raven attempted to joke, but Judith shook her head.

"You're alive. If you can remain alive, then why care if it's thanks to an artificial heart?"

"That's what I thought at that time too. Alexei had saved my life. And he had done the same for Yeager. He and I both owed our lives to Alexei." Raven paused, his eyes wandering to Casey's picture on the desk. "I never told you about her before, did I?"

Again, the fine woman didn't reply as there was no need for her to.

"Alexei had told us that Casey... That they hadn't been able to save her." Raven went on. "All this time I believed her to be dead. You know the rest. I left the police six months after you joined, and Yeager about a year after. Then he left to the lower quarters, but I guess that Alexei had never really stopped watching him."

"But I can't believe he used Yeager's own fiancée to keep him under his control."

"I need to see him."

Judith frowned. "Alexei? Why?" As the man didn't reply, she sighed. "You want to talk to him about Casey." she stated.

"Am I that transparent?" Raven asked with a wry smile.

"Raven, you don't seriously think Alexei was telling the truth, do you?" Judith inquired. "You don't believe that Casey was actually alive and was kept as a means to control Yeager, right?"

"Would believing it make me sound like a fool? I made a promise to Yeager a long time ago. Now that he is gone, I just..."

Judith grabbed Raven's shoulders and stared straight at him with sheer concern in her eyes.

"Raven, I understand how you feel, but be reasonable. Chances are high that Alexei was simply lying to Yeager, so please don't torture yourself with that."

"He could have been telling the truth." Raven retorted, though with not much conviction.

"Even if he had, what would you do?"

The answer came as a whisper as he looked away. "I'd want to see her face again."

Judith looked at his face where pain was written all over and her heart sank. Not knowing what else to do, she pulled Raven in her arms and hugged him tightly.

She wasn't a replacement for Casey, but at that moment, she wished she was.

* * *

><p><em>The grave was simple, with a single name carved on it. The dates underneath showed that the person was only 22 when they had died.<em>

_Yeager put down a bright orange flower on the tombstone. A single tear fell on the marble._

"_A fire lily, huh?" Raven noticed._

"_It was supposed to be the flower for her marriage." Yeager replied bitterly. Then after a short pause, he went on: "I wish we had switched place, she and I."_

"_It should have been me instead of her." Raven let out between his gritted teeth. "You... and Casey deserved much better than this."_

"_And I bet if Casey was here, she'd hit both of us for speaking like this."_

_Raven didn't reply._

"_I guess you don't have to worry about keeping your promise to watch over her when I'm not here anymore." the other man went on._

_Fists clenched in remorse._

"_What are you going to do now?" Yeager asked._

"_I'll probably leave the police and find another job."_

"_Are you going to leave me alone?"_

"_You could quit too."_

"_I... don't want yet." Yeager replied. "Are you seriously considering it?"_

"_Yeah. I need a change of life."_

"_Then let me give you a piece of advice." Yeager said, pointing at Raven's hair which was hiding half his face, as usual. "Tie your hair up."_

_The other man blinked in surprise. "Tie my hair up? Why?"_

"_Because women need to see your beautiful eyes to fall for you."_

_Raven flushed. "You aren't supposed to tell another man he has beautiful eyes. That sounds... weird." But Yeager merely shrugged._

"_I'm just repeating to you what Casey used to tell me."_

"_She... said that?"_

"_Of course."_

* * *

><p>The day had been long and exhausting. Comfortably settled in his sofa, Raven looked at the hair tie in his hand. A smile tainted with melancholy appeared on his lips. He was unaware of that one salty drop that fell on his hand.<p>

Good memories weren't necessarily the happiest ones.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx**

**A/N: And as mentioned in the previous chapter, here was a 'break' chapter with some Raven/Yeager/Casey background. Next chapter, the main plot resumes. Thanks for reading!  
><strong>


	29. January 4th to 8th

**January 4****th ****- 8****th**

Flynn had refused to leave Yuri alone after the events of the previous day and had therefore forced him to come to his place. The latter hadn't resisted much, but neither had he shown any of his usual enthusiasm. Nor had he shown any sign of any other emotion, actually.

Pain. It was the only word Flynn found to describe what he saw whenever he looked at the other boy. His raven eyes screamed pain, his pursed lips contained his inward suffering, and the crescent red marks in his palms were the only signs of his repressed rage. And Flynn felt equally miserable at his own powerlessness to bring Yuri back to this world.

He wanted Yuri back. He wanted the cocky, ever-smirking and completely idiot Yuri back. Yet, all of the blonde boy's attempts at starting a conversation had ended prematurely. Despite his efforts to soothe Yuri to sleep, Flynn was quite certain the dark-haired male had remained awake the whole night. In the morning he found him seated on the sofa, watching the news. On the screen could be seen Alexei, giving a speech in his usual flashy way and promising to do his best to eradicate crime from the whole nation. What a joke. Seeing his face made Flynn sick. He grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

Yuri barely reacted when Flynn slipped a hot cup of coffee in his hands before sitting beside him, but at least he didn't let the cup fall. He watched as Yuri brought the cup to his lips and stroke his back. As Yuri remained silent, Flynn bit his lower lip and stood up.

"Thanks." Yuri's hoarse voice was suddenly heard.

Flynn turned round, surprised, and smiled faintly. "You're welcome."

"I'm sorry for being such a trouble." Yuri let out wearily.

Flynn blinked and sat down again, taking Yuri's hand in his. "Yuri... How many times do I need to tell you that you'll never be a trouble to me?"

But as he looked at Yuri, the only thing he could see was guilt painted all over his face.

"I... I didn't even manage to notice that he wasn't acting on his own will..." the long-haired boy said, holding Flynn's hand tightly. "H-He was my mentor, he's the one who helped me when I needed it the most, and I just... let him down." he finished in a whisper.

"You couldn't know." Flynn comforted him. "Even Gauche and Droite, who were the closest to him, failed to see it."

"I was wrong all this time." Yuri went on, a hint of anger in his voice. "I was after the wrong target. All this time the one I should have been after was–"

Flynn didn't like where this was going and he decided that he had to stop the flow of Yuri's thoughts before it took a dangerous turn. He moved from his spot to kneel in front of the dark-haired male, now holding both his hands, and stared straight at him with determination.

"Yuri, it doesn't please me to do this but I have to. I know this is going to sound harsh to you, but you need to listen to me." he said unwaveringly. He paused for a second to make sure that Yuri was indeed listening, then went on: "You are not some sort of hero whose duty is to fight injustice. All that you have been doing until now has been irresponsible and selfish."

Yuri looked away, remorse mixed with anger on his face, and Flynn felt the boy's hands getting tense in his. But he had to continue, no matter how reluctant he was to utter words that he knew were hurting his lover.

"You need to stop making other people worry about you. That's why I'm asking you: don't even think of going after Alexei. Get over it and resume the normal life of a student. There is no need for you to get hurt more than you already have been, and I'm not talking only about physical wounds. Yuri, do you understand what I'm saying?"

But Yuri had lowered his head, and his hair was partly hiding his face so that Flynn couldn't see his expression. However, as the latter suddenly snatched his hands away and stood up, Flynn understood that Yuri wasn't in a pleasant mood.

"You're asking me if I understand?" the boy spoke with a low yet clearly upset tone. His back was turned to Flynn. "Well yes, I do. But it seems like you're the one who doesn't understand. You can't just ask me to just let every go and pretend nothing ever happened."

"That's not what I said!" Flynn protested.

"But that's exactly what you meant! You're asking me to forget that this bastard Alexei played damn dirty to get my mentor to do whatever he wanted for him before actually _killing_ him! He freaking _killed _him! And that, while pretending to be a righteous man who acts for justice's sake!"

"I just want to stop seeing you get hurt!" Flynn retorted, feeling his blood boil. His patience towards Yuri's whims was wearing thin. "I just want you to turn back to that stupid student whom I disliked so much–"

"Well sorry for being so stup–"

"–and whom I ended up falling in love with!" Flynn finished.

"Then for your sake and mine, maybe you should reconsider those feelings of yours!"

Flynn's heart failed a beat at those words and he stared incredulously at Yuri. A surge of deep anger seized him. There were limits to how much he could stand Yuri's ridiculous outbursts.

"Yuri! What was that supposed to mean?" he urged, grabbing the other boy's wrist and pulling him closer in a not-so-gently way.

"It means that maybe you should have thought a bit more before getting involved with me." Yuri snapped dryly.

"How is that my fault only?" the blonde boy retorted with sheer disbelief. Was Yuri really implying what he thought he was? Seriously? "Or are you telling me that you never felt a damn thing for me?" he added, feeling a lump in his throat. Yuri glared at him, irate, but Flynn could have sworn he saw the latter flinch for a second.

"I–How I feel doesn't have anything to do with you!" he let out angrily, and the next thing he knew, a fist collided with his cheek, making him stumble and growl.

"And I told you to stop acting so damn selfishly!" Flynn burst out. Despite being the one who had landed the blow, it was him who had sheer pain veiling his sapphire eyes. "How... How can you just assume it doesn't have anything to do with me?" he added, his voice progressively losing its original resentment only to be replaced by bitterness. "How dare you..." He himself was dumbfounded at his own action, as it was very unusual for him to lose his temper to the point of hitting someone, especially when that someone was supposed to be his boyfriend. Yet at the same time, the punch felt surprisingly pleasant to blow some steam off.

Yuri was rubbing his cheek, not meeting Flynn's eyes; however, a quick glance at the blonde boy was enough to tell him that he had done it again. He had done the one thing he never wanted to do: he had hurt Flynn again. He felt like hitting himself for his stupidity and shouting at himself for being unable to make even one person happy. A storm of emotions broke out in his head, and all were yelling at him to react quickly and do something about the other boy who was standing there and looking at him with affliction... and _hope_, a desperate hope that it was all just a very bad dream.

Yuri was overwhelmed with guilt. No matter how troubled and upset he was about the recent events, it wasn't a reason to take it out on Flynn. _Especially_ on Flynn. He hadn't expected the latter to actually punch him, but the shock had apparently been enough to shake some sense into him. He realized with horror the implications of his previous words and without any further thought, he pulled Flynn to him in a tight embrace.

"I... Flynn, I'm sorry." he finally spoke, his voice but a whisper. "I'm really sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me. I... should have never said that." he added, dejected. "You're right, I've been a stupid, selfish and untrustworthy idiot all along. But please, _please_ believe me when I say I didn't mean what I said earlier. I... Damn it, Flynn, I... love you so damn much... I swear... Believe me..."

The blonde boy, at first surprised by the unexpected apology and the confession, soon found himself wrapping his arms reassuringly around Yuri while relief progressively replaced his anxiousness. He was careful not to show it too much but inwardly, Yuri's words warmed him up. He could feel Yuri's quick heartbeat against his chest, and could even feel the state of panic the boy was in. At that moment Yuri gave him the impression of being a child, a lost child who needed someone to hold tight on him and not let him wander away, even if it required a lot of effort. Was Flynn ready for that kind of effort? He wasn't sure of it himself. But could he abandon Yuri now, when he needed him the most? The answer to that question was much easier.

"Yuri, you need to calm down." Flynn replied as he gently forced Yuri to let him go. Then he led him to the sofa and prompted him to sit down. "You need some time to get over this, and I'll stay with you as long as necessary for you to recover. But you must promise me one thing."

"What is it?" Yuri inquired, slightly worried.

"Don't _ever_ put my feelings for you into question again. Or I'll leave you for real." The blonde male added with a faint smile.

He got the reaction he had been hoping for: Yuri's lips curled up and he chuckled.

"I wouldn't let you." he said.

"Wouldn't you? I'd like to see how you'd manage." Flynn replied, displaying curiosity on his face. He got his answer as Yuri captured his lips promptly.

Was it only Flynn's imagination or was Yuri much more demanding, almost too possessive and too... desperate? He reacted instinctively by slipping his hand in the long and soft raven hair and stroking it slowly; it was his usual, silent way to reassure his lover and maybe to reassure himself as well. Yuri was there, seeking comfort while asserting at the same time his will not to let Flynn go. It was all the latter needed.

Shivers suddenly ran down his spine, and it was only after a few seconds that he noticed that Yuri's fingers had sneaked under his shirt and were leaving a warm touch on his skin. They wandered up his back, making him gasp softly. It felt strange on him and yet it was definitely not unpleasant at all; Yuri was taking control of the situation, which Flynn didn't expect after having seen him in such a devastated state. He didn't mind; he tilted his head on the side when he felt Yuri's lips on his neck, laying feverish kisses on it. His heart pounded faster against his chest, and his breathing started getting erratic. A wince flashed on his face when he felt teeth sink slightly in his skin.

"Yuri..." he gasped.

"That's what I'd do to you if you ever tried to leave me." the long-haired male whispered at his ear before nuzzling his neck.

"I guess that would be convincing enough..." Flynn replied with a small chuckle.

Yuri rested his forehead against the blonde's chest, his fingers slightly trembling as they clutched the fabric of Flynn's shirt. At that moment, he looked strangely vulnerable despite his displays of self-confidence, and Flynn wasn't fooled by the mask at all. He certainly could get quite annoyed by Yuri's changing temper at times, yet he was progressively learning to do with it, simply because he couldn't imagine himself doing otherwise.

It happened to him quite often to still wonder why he was still sticking with that boy who was the complete opposite of everything he had always believed to be right and immutable. Everything, from their upbringings, their ways of handling their existences, their studies and their values clashed; and still, luck had crossed their paths and ups and downs of life had intertwined them in the closest way possible.

"I really couldn't do anything about it, could I?" The question came as a bare whisper filled with bitterness. Flynn knew immediately what the other boy was talking about without even asking.

"No, you couldn't." he replied firmly, pulling Yuri closer. "Neither you, nor Whitehorse, nor anyone else."

"I wonder how Gauche and Droite are faring right now."

"Call them?" Flynn suggested but he felt Yuri shake his head.

"I'm pretty sure they wouldn't reply to me."

"Then try asking Raven?

"Calling the old man by his first name now?" Yuri forced a chuckle.

"I guess it's a matter of hearing other people calling him like that." Flynn defended himself.

"In any case, I'm not sure I want to talk to him right now. Actually, I don't want to talk to anyone else but you." Yuri let out a sigh. "Sorry for acting like a spoiled brat."

The blonde boy patted his back. Then an idea popped in his head. "You are spoiled, indeed." he said, but his tone was gentle. "I think you should go talk to a few people, actually. That would help you get a change of air."

"Who?" Yuri asked reluctantly.

"How about paying a visit to the hospital? And the orphanage?"

"Oh."

The dark-haired boy raised his eyes to Flynn, and finally, a genuine smile appeared on his lips. Karol, Rita, Pia... His family.

He nodded. It was time to stop that act of self-pity and remember that he had people around him caring for him.

* * *

><p>It had been decided to meet at the hospital in order to spare Flynn and Yuri a detour by the orphanage. Consequently, the usual group of people was gathered around Rita's bed in the hospital room, and the unexpected yet pleasant surprise was the presence of Estellise who had shortened her holidays after getting all the recent news. The girl looked profoundly sorry and almost guilty for spending her holidays away, unaware of the not-so-happy events that had befallen her friends.<p>

"And why the hell would you be sorry for being the only one here who actually spent a nice Christmas?" Rita asked her with a reproachful tone. "It's not like we're gonna skewer anyone who had nice holidays. That'd be a massacre."

"But–" the pink-haired girl started protesting.

"No but." Pia interrupted her. "My dear Estelle, everyone here is happy that you managed to have a good time, and if you want to make us happy in return, then offer us your sweetest smile." she said, ruffling Estelle's hair.

The girl blinked in surprise at the gesture before complying with the offer and nodding, a broad smile on her lips.

"Now that's better." Pia approved. Then she addressed Yuri, catching him off guard: "Your turn, my boy. What's with that brooding face of yours?"

"Brooding? I'm not brooding." the boy replied, not expecting the question. The others also looked at Pia with curiosity.

"I've known you for too long. You can't fool me." she said with a falsely scolding tone.

Yuri sighed. "I guess I can't. I've got no choice but to tell you what's wrong, right?"

Flynn glanced at him, slightly frowning. Both boys had had a mutual agreement to keep the whole Yeager and Alexei business from Pia. Chances were high that she would react very badly, and though Flynn had at first been a bit reluctant to remain silent, he had quickly come to the conclusion that it was better for everyone. Therefore he couldn't help but feel uneasy at Yuri's last words. Did Yuri really intent to...

"Christmas break is almost over and I soon have to go back to school." the long-haired boy let out tragically. Pia raised an eyebrow before letting out a clear laugh.

"You hypocrite. You spend your whole time doing nothing, school or no school." she said, and her words were immediately followed by sneers from Rita and Karol and chuckles from Estelle and Flynn. Yuri glared at the latter.

"Well sorry for not being as perfect as Mr Perfect here." he replied sullenly.

"Yuri..." Flynn rolled his eyes and shook his head, but as he saw the smirk on Yuri's lips, he couldn't help but feel relieved inwardly. He hadn't been wrong in thinking that seeing his friends would cheer Yuri up a bit, even temporarily.

The rest of the afternoon was spent talking about holidays and Christmas presents and various other stories – mainly narrated by Karol, thanks to his ability to think of endless topics, to the point Rita had to tell him to shut up at some point. But the mood was pleasant and it wasn't rare to hear laughter echo in the room, until Pia started coughing.

"Getting sick?" Yuri inquired, but Pia waved the question off.

"Probably just a small cold." she said. "Nothing worth worrying about."

"It's still very cold outside, you should be careful." Estelle advised. "And in order not to get sick, my grandmother always says to drink a lot of hot tea with honey and lemon." she recited, which made Pia smile.

"Thank you, girl. I'll remember your grandmother's wise piece of advice."

"If your grandma has a recipe so that my head stops hurting me, I'm in." Rita intervened, pointing at her bandaged head.

"I'm afraid she hasn't shared such a secret with me yet." Estelle replied with a chuckle before asking with a more concerned tone: "Is it really hurting? If so, perhaps you should tell a nurse or a doctor about it."

"Nah, I'm fine. Just thought maybe your grandma was some sort of doctor with traditional methods and all. Could have been funny." the brunette shrugged.

"I'm afraid she is not. No one in my family has studied medicine." Estelle shook her head apologetically.

"What are your parents' occupations then?" Karol asked.

"Oh, well my father is a prosecuting attorney and my mother is an art teacher at the university."

Karol whistled. "Woah, that sounds so cool! So, your mom teaches at our uni?"

"Idiot, she's an _art_ teacher." Rita cut him off. "Our school is a science and economics one."

"Oh, right..." the boy lowered his head.

"She works in the neighbouring city, at the literature and art university." Estelle explained.

"But damn, your parents sound so cool! Especially your dad! A prosecuting attorney!" Karol exclaimed before frowning: "Huh... what does a prosecuting attorney do by the way?"

Rita smacked her head and Pia let out a sigh. Yuri shook his head, resigned, while Flynn merely chuckled.

"What's with those reactions!" Karol defended himself, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "I-I mean, I know they do something with justice and all, I just don't know exactly what they do!"

"Prosecutors are on the victims' side, they help convict guilty people." Estelle kindly explained.

"Ooh, I see. So they're the good guys then!"

"Something like that, yes." the pink-haired girl nodded with a smile.

They were interrupted by another of Pia's coughs.

"Well sorry everyone, I'm starting to feel a bit tired, so I guess I'll have to leave you all." she said.

"Yes, we have been here for hours, it's normal to be tired." Estelle nodded. "Especially if you have a cold. It is best to have some rest."

"You sound like a teacher." Karol pointed out.

"Yeah, you're too serious." Rita added.

"I-I..." Estelle flushed, not able to hide her embarrassment.

"She can't be as serious as Flynn, believe me." Yuri said, smirking again at his boyfriend.

"Yuri! Will you just stop–"

"See what I mean?" Yuri interrupted Flynn. "You're totally unable to take a joke when you hear one."

"Yuri, stop annoying your friend like that." Pia ordered. She then sighed and addressed Flynn: "I'm not sure how you are able to still hang out with him, but I admire your patience."

"I do my best." Flynn replied, smiling.

"Let's hope Yuri will someday realize he's lucky to have you as his friend..." Pia added.

"Hey! They aren't just friends!" Karol exclaimed. "They're–Ouch!"

"They're _best_ friends." Rita finished for him, ignoring the glare she received from Karol as he rubbed his head.

"Is that so?" Pia cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Yuri replied hastily at the same as Flynn said: "Something like that."

Yuri wasn't sure now was the best time for Pia to learn that he and Flynn weren't exactly friends, and given the blonde's reaction, they apparently shared the same thought.

"Well in any case, I'll be going back to my kids now. Karol, you'll help me with dinner?"

"Sure!" the boy replied enthusiastically.

Flynn, Yuri and Estelle decided that it was also time for them to leave, as visiting hours were soon over anyway, and after long minutes of goodbyes, the boys were finally on their ways back home.

In the bus, Yuri decided to inquire about a delicate topic:

"How is it going with your parents?" he asked carefully, unsure of wether it was actually a good idea or not. Surprisingly enough, he received a smile from Flynn.

"They aren't really happy with me, but I guess I can't really help it. That's not really a problem though." the blonde boy added. "I've managed to convince a few people to sign a contract with me about the projects I've been working on, which mean that I'll soon be able to be financially independent. My parents won't be able to do anything against that. As long as I can secure some income, they won't be able to force me to do anything I don't want to."

"Wow, you sound confident. And rebellious." Yuri replied with quite some admiration. "But are you going to manage with school and all?"

Flynn nodded. "I'll keep attending school, but I'll have to stop any extra activities, at least at the beginning."

"So you're going to become like one of those super stuck-up guys always wearing a suit and talking about figures and whatnot until I die of boredom listening to you?"

The blonde boy frowned. "That's how you imagine me to be once I start working? God that sounds quite... unappealing. Don't worry, I promise I won't turn into something like that; and if you see any signs that I do, please feel free to hit me back to sense."

"Sounds like a deal." Yuri replied with a smirk before giving Flynn a quick peck on the lips. Flynn blushed inevitably, as they were still in the bus with people around them. Apparently no one had noticed them though.

"Y-Yuri, please avoid doing it while we are not alone!" he said in a low voice.

"Sorry, sorry, couldn't help myself." the other boy apologized very unconvincingly.

Flynn sighed heavily and shook his head in resignation. "Hey, Yuri."

"Hm?"

"This weekend is the last one before school starts again."

Yuri pouted. "You didn't need to remind me that."

"Would you like to go to the sea?" Flynn asked.

The question took Yuri off guard. "The sea? In the middle of winter?"

Flynn chuckled at the other boy's reaction. "It's _because_ it's winter that I want to go. It's quiet and the landscapes are beautiful."

"I-I'm not sure. It's quite sudden." Yuri replied thoughtfully, but seeing Flynn slightly lower his head to conceal his disappointment, he added hastily: "But I don't mind going! I guess it'll be a nice way to spend the last weekend of the holidays."

Flynn shook his head, "You don't have to force yourself, Yuri. It's fine if you don't want to, it is indeed too sudden."

"No, no! I mean, I just didn't expect such a suggestion out of the blue. But I'd really love to spend a weekend with you, somewhere else but in this town." Yuri replied, grinning. The smile faded quickly however. "It's been... kind of getting on my nerves lately."

The blonde boy stroked his back comfortingly. "I know..." he said softly. "That's why I thought a break would be welcome."

Yuri smiled back. "So, where are we going?"

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you have summer quarters! Well, I should probably say winter quarters." Yuri corrected himself as he dropped his bag on the ground, standing in front of the white villa.<p>

It was early afternoon, and the sky was clear, with a few clouds here and there when they arrived. His eyes were wide open, and scanning the whole estate, from the high painted gates to the main building itself, surrounded by grass and trees, mainly pines. He even spotted a round fountain – which wasn't working, much to his disappointment – and gravel paths winding around what seemed to be small ponds. The temperature wasn't low enough for the latter to be frozen.

The villa wasn't actually too huge, even though it couldn't be called small either. Large bay windows allowed Yuri to have a faint preview of the inside of the two-storey house. Farther away were several other villas built in a similar way, probably belonging to some other rich people who had nothing else to do with their money but to spend it on houses in which they most likely spent barely a week or two a year. People like Flynn's family.

Well, for once he wasn't going to complain about it. He inhaled deeply, filling his nose with the salty scent of the sea brought by the light winds that were blowing on the area. On the way here, he had been given the opportunity to see the sea for the first time, while Flynn was driving along the coast. He saw the long and empty beaches, the marine water splattered with foam, and a couple of boats sailing not too far away from the marina.

He had been surprised by the quietness as they had entered the small town; it was because the number of inhabitants was low here, Flynn had explained to him. During summer, the population was easily multiplied by ten.

"You are allowed to come in." an amused voice interrupted Yuri's thoughts. The long-haired boy turned his head to Flynn.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was just admiring the view." he said as he grabbed his bag and followed Flynn inside the residence.

The interior was incredibly spacious with a minimum of furniture and decorations, all in tones of white, silver and blue; yet the purified design gave a light atmosphere to the whole space. Yuri came to wonder if it was a habit of the Scifos to have such simplistic designs. He walked around to the back of the house and looked through the bay windows. The sight he was offered made him open his mouth in silent awe.

The residence was actually built on a cliff and from where he was standing, he could see the seemingly endless sea stretch in front of his eyes. For a moment he felt hypnotized by the gigantic masses of water, realizing for the first time how immense the seas and oceans actually were. And realizing also how insignificant he was.

"Daydreaming?" a gentle voice asked behind his back. Yuri turned around slowly, still in a daze, but then his lips curled up into a smile.

"The view you have... That's... wow..." he spoke softly, making Flynn chuckle.

"I had the feeling you'd like it." he said. "Now let me show you your room so you can put your stuff there." he motioned Yuri to follow him upstairs, but the latter stopped him by swiftly snaking an arm around Flynn's waist and pulling him back, making the blonde male's back bump against his chest.

"Not so fast, you." he said, resting his chin on Flynn's shoulder. "I'm sleeping in _your_ room or I'm sulking the whole weekend. You choose."

The other boy sighed, though he was clearly smiling. "What am I going to do with such a spoiled kid?"

"Just bear with him." Yuri replied before laying a kiss on his lover's neck. Flynn shivered.

"I don't have much choice, I guess. Now, if you let me go, maybe I can get us something to drink? And later I'll show you around. Then we can go have a walk outside, it's not too cold."

"I'm a mere guest, I'll follow whatever the host says." Yuri replied with a false humble tone.

"Liar." Flynn laughed.

* * *

><p>The town, which Yuri preferred calling a village, was as quiet as ever, with a few kids playing outside and not many cars passing mainly on the coast road. On one side of the road were many restaurants which were all closed – they opened only when tourists started coming, Flynn explained – while on the other side were terraces where people would normally eat during summer. A bit farther away was the sandy beach on which Flynn and Yuri were currently walking.<p>

The air was cool but not cold, as Flynn had predicted, making the walk quite pleasant. There was more wind, which had forced Yuri to tie his hair up.

"If I remember well, you once told me that you like me with my hair up, didn't you?" he asked with a light yet definitely impish smirk.

"I-I do." Flynn replied, surprised that Yuri still remembered such an insignificant fact.

"I guess I'll keep it like that more often then." the other replied as he slipped his fingers in Flynn's. There was no one there to see them, and honestly, even if there had been, Yuri didn't really care anymore. He wasn't certain that Flynn was so comfortable with it, but at least for now, he didn't seem to mind.

They walked in silence for almost a minute, simply watching the waves washing the shore or the boats sailing by and the seagulls fly above their heads with their typical cry. Each of Yuri's footsteps was sinking slightly in the sand, reminding him a bit of the snow at his hometown. It was funny; he had always imagined that going to the sea was only good in summer, yet now he wasn't so sure anymore. Coming here when there weren't thousands of tourists filling the streets and frying on the beach was probably not so bad an idea, and he was really grateful towards Flynn for bringing him here. His fingers unconsciously tightened around Flynn's hand.

"Something wrong?" the latter asked.

"Hm? Nah, I was just thinking that this place is pretty relaxing and all." Yuri replied, which made Flynn smile.

"Glad you appreciate it."

"Hey, what's behind the cliff over there?" Yuri asked, pointing at the sea cliff a few hundred meters farther. "And I see houses on it?"

"Yes, it's the upper part of the town. And behind it you have creeks. We can go tomorrow if you want, it's really nice too."

"Sure!" the other boy exclaimed enthusiastically. "Say, do you come here often?"

"When I was a kid, we would go there every summer." Flynn explained. "My father brought me here a few times during winter, that's how I came to prefer it during this time of the year. It's been three years since we haven't gone together though."

Yuri didn't ask any further as he felt it wasn't a wise idea to dig deeper into Flynn's family vacations.

"I'm glad you agreed to come, Yuri." Flynn suddenly declared, smiling softly. "I really like this place, but having some company is much better than going alone."

"Hey, we can come here anytime." Yuri replied. "Though I guess it'll be a bit more difficult once I resume working."

"I fear I won't have much free time myself." Flynn nodded. He then turned to the other boy, smiling broadly. "That's why we should enjoy this weekend as much as we can."

Yuri gave him back his smile, nodding. "Yep, you're right–Oh! I completely forgot!" he exclaimed abruptly, startling Flynn a bit. "I promised you that once everything was over, I'd cook your favourite dishes so we could spend a nice evening together!"

The blonde boy blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "So you did. I'll be looking forward to it."

"We could do that tonight. I just need to go buy some stuff and–" Yuri offered, but Flynn shook his head.

"You're here on vacation, so I won't allow you to do anything. I've planned to take you to the restaurant. There's one here which is open all year long and makes really good seafood dishes. And there's no room for discussion."

"Looks like I don't have much choice." Yuri shrugged.

A loud rumble was heard in the far, making both boys raise their heads to the sky. Big, dark clouds could be seen approaching towards the coast at a quick pace, brought there by strong winds. The sea was starting to get rough and the waves were growing in size.

"Uh-oh. I say we should hurry back." Yuri suggested, getting an immediate approval from Flynn.

The first drops started hitting the ground a few minutes before the two boys reached the house though fortunately the downpour hadn't come yet when they stepped inside. However, it was only a matter of minutes before the sound of falling raindrops turned into a loud hammering accompanied by more rumbles that echoed in the far. The sky turned dark within seconds, only blinded by flashes of lightning strikes.

Yuri whistled. "That was a close one."

"Yes, we were quite lucky on that one." Flynn nodded as he switched on the lights. "Want something warm to drink?"

As Yuri nodded, Flynn headed for the kitchen while the dark-haired male stared rather gloomily outside. Flynn came back after a few minutes with two steaming cups in his hands.

"Why the sullen face?" he asked, handing Yuri his cup.

"Well, it's a pity the storm just had to break out today." the latter replied. "Did the weather forecast mention any?"

"Yes, it did." Flynn replied, much to Yuri's surprise. He frowned.

"And you still wanted to come here anyway?"

Flynn smiled, then motioned him to follow him. "Come." he said, a hint a mystery in his tone.

Intrigued, Yuri stood up and complied, following Flynn to the back of the house from where he had admired the sea the first time. There, the blonde boy turned off the lights and walked to the bay windows, inviting Yuri by his side.

"Look." he merely said.

And Yuri looked. And he realized that the sight he had been offered previously was nothing compared to this one.

A sheer contrast. Overwhelmingly so. The pale blue sky had been taken over by dark stretches of grumbling grey and black clouds; in some parts though, they weren't thick enough to conceal the light, letting streaks of pinkish orange stream through them. Not a single gull was reckless enough to dare cross the storm and the once calm and quiet sea was unleashing its fury, sending huge waves to crash violently against the rocky cliffs before falling back heavily in bursts of foam, as if it had a will of its own. Some waves were so tall Yuri imagined himself being easily engulfed by them and swallowed to the depths of the ocean, with no hope of recovery. The thought sent chills through his spine. It was like watching a painting created by a master, a living painting in motion. And the whole landscape looked even more cataclysmic through the blur of the heavy downpour battering the bays. Lightning seared through the sky, making Yuri jump.

"So?" Flynn asked, looking at his lover with hidden amusement. The latter didn't reply immediately, too captivated by the demonstration of Nature's wrath. It was simply breathtaking.

"... Wow..." was all he managed to say. He felt like he could stand there for hours, watching the sea ravage the coasts, the wind bending the palm trees to its will and the sky burnt by thunder and crying over the town. There were winter storms in his hometown, but never that violent, and there was no sea to add to the fascinating disaster.

Yuri glanced on the side and saw Flynn watching straight in front of him with obvious emotion in his eyes. It seemed like Flynn really loved winter storms, and Yuri was starting to understand why. He even felt slightly jealous – no matter how irrational it was – that Flynn's attention was currently all directed at a mere natural phenomenon.

And as if his thoughts had been read, he felt an arm slip behind his waist, as if to reassure him that he hadn't been forgotten.

"If this doesn't stop soon, we'll have to cancel the restaurant." the blonde boy murmured.

"I don't mind." Yuri replied on the same tone. "I could stand here for hours, to be honest."

"So I guess I convinced you that storms aren't necessarily a bad thing?"

"Pretty much."

Though they actually didn't stand there fore hours, they did remained in front of the bays until the storm started quieting down. The clouds drifted away slowly, but now the sun had already set and night was coming quickly. Yuri sighed.

"It's over. And now I'm hungry."

"Let's go eat then." Flynn suggested.

"Say, actually I don't feel like going out." Yuri declared, crossing his arms. It was Flynn's turn to sigh.

"And here I thought you said you were but a mere guest here and would follow whatever the host says."

"But a nice host should also listen to his guest."

"You have a point." Flynn gave up. "So, what do you want to do?"

"How about we order pizzas and watch the TV while eating?"

Flynn cocked an eyebrow. This wasn't exactly how he had planned to spend the evening, but there was no harm doing it in Yuri's way, if it made him feel more at ease. It was the main purpose of bringing him here, after all.

"The things I do for a spoiled kid." he replied, grabbing his mobile in his pocket.

"The things you do for my irresistible self." Yuri corrected with a smirk, and before Flynn had time to protest, he planted a kiss on his lips. He soon pulled back, looking quite satisfied. "I haven't had the opportunity to do it for the whole day." he merely stated.

Once again, Flynn opened his mouth to retort something but ended up conceding defeat. This was happening way too often to his taste, he thought. Not that he actually minded.

* * *

><p>Flynn cracked open an eye and winced as a ray of sun almost blinded him. He immediately noticed that his body felt numb and his neck was rather sore. He wasn't in a sitting position, but neither was he completely lying. Something in-between, making him feel very uncomfortable. His back was against an armrest and he thanked the pillow underneath for saving his backbone. There was also something heavy on him. And there was noise. Or rather, sounds. People talking. He was not in his room, and definitely not in his bed. Actually, he wasn't even in a bed, but on a couch. A large one, but still. He turned his head to where the chatters were coming and noticed the TV that was turned on.<p>

Oh, so Yuri was already awake and watching it. However, as a soft snore reached his ears, his brain clicked and he understood that something was wrong in his deduction. Lowering his eyes, he saw Yuri half-lying on him and on the couch, with a blanket pulled over both of them. Apparently the dark-haired boy was enjoying his 'mattress' much more than Flynn had. An arm was resting on his chest while the other was hanging freely on the side. Memories slowly reassembled in his head.

They had ordered pizzas and had settled in the couch, watching some movies on the TV until Yuri had declared he was a bit cold. Flynn had therefore gone to pick up a blanket in which both boys had wrapped themselves, to finish the night talking while sometimes gazing at the screen. It seemed that they had fallen asleep in the middle of the process, and while Yuri had somehow managed to fit himself in a comfy position, Flynn hadn't been so lucky. Yet he didn't really feel like moving, for fear of waking the other boy up, but his limbs protested.

Well, too bad for Yuri. Flynn carefully stroked the cascade of raven hair.

"Yuri. Wake up." he called out softly. The latter stirred a bit, but only to snuggle more conveniently in Flynn's lap. With a sigh, the blonde boy reiterated: "Yuri, it's morning." No reaction. "You asked for it."

And with no other warning, he pushed Yuri unceremoniously on the floor – with the blanket to cushion the fall, thank you very much. A second later, an angry yet sleepy 'what the hell?!' was heard. From his spot, Yuri glared at Flynn who was trying to sit up carefully, wincing as his muscles stretched and his back made a small cracking noise at the movement. He leant his head on the side, massaging his sore neck without even paying attention to the boy at his feet.

"What was that for?" Yuri asked grumpily as he sat up and glanced quickly around him. "Hey, we... fell asleep while watching the TV?"

"It seems so." Flynn replied, stretching his numbed arms. "Well, you seem to have spent a good night at least." he added with a falsely reproachful tone.

"Why? Didn't you?"

"Let's say a certain someone has been lying on me for the whole night, forgetting that I am but a mere human being, bound by the laws of physics to end up in complete pain after having such a weight on me."

"You make too difficult sentences right in the morning." Yuri declared, yawning loudly. "That killed my brain."

"Too bad for your brain. That'll be your punishment." Flynn replied with amusement as he stood up and strode over Yuri. He was about to walk to the kitchen, but as he did so, Yuri raised one of his legs, making Flynn lose his balance, and grabbed his wrist to pull the boy to him as he fell on top of him with a gasp.

"Yu–hmph!"

Yuri's mouth had silenced Flynn once again. He was getting dangerously good at that game. When they broke the kiss, an innocent grin was plastered on Yuri's face.

"Forgive me?" he merely asked.

"Don't think it's that easy." Flynn pretended to be very serious.

"I'll make breakfast."

"It had been planned before coming here that'd you bring stuff to make breakfast. This doesn't count."

"I'll make lunch too. Curry beef. With tons of pepper." Yuri bargained.

Flynn surrendered. "Don't think your cooking will save you every time, though." he warned.

"Allow me to doubt your words. Now if his Highness deigned to move from my humble self, I could go prepare breakfast."

The cushion Yuri received in his face was the only answer he got from Flynn. The day was starting well.

* * *

><p>Flynn's mother closed the door behind Sodia and ordered the maid to take care of the empty tea cups on the table. Then she locked herself in her study and sat down at her desk, her lips pursed in obvious discontent. Through apparently innocent and well-intentioned questions, she had managed to draw enough information out of the naïve girl. So Flynn preferred to hang out with a low-class, delinquent boy without thinking of the consequences on his name, on his family's name?<p>

She wasn't going to let it go like that. She didn't care if they went to the same university; they didn't have the same social status and she refused to let her son be seen in such company. She cursed silently at her own mistake – well, more accurately, her and her husband's mistake – not to have sent Flynn to the country's most prestigious university, where only the elite students could be found. At least, there, he would have been able to focus on his studies and his future, he would have been a pride for the Scifo name. But now he was being distracted by 'friends', commoners and low-lives. She couldn't allow that.

She'd have to talk to her husband about it too. Too much freedom had been given to their son already.

* * *

><p>The weekend had passed too quickly, in Flynn's opinion. But it was also most certainly one of the best weekends he had been given to spend. City lights were flashing by his sides as he was driving back. On the passenger's seat, Yuri was sleeping soundly, his head slightly tilted on the side. A faint smile appeared on Flynn's lips. The day had been particularly exhausting, especially for Yuri who had spent it jumping and climbing on the rocks near the cliffs, sometimes giving real frights to the blonde boy who had stopped counting how many times he had thought Yuri would break his neck. But at least it had reassured him to see his boyfriend enjoying himself like a kid; that short trip to the sea had definitely been worth it.<p>

Flynn was careful enough not to glance too often at that peacefully sleeping face; a traffic accident was the last thing he needed now. Tomorrow, they'd go back to school. Tomorrow, their normal lives would resume again.

At least for some time.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: It's so freaking hot here I'm going to sleep in the fridge after uploading this chapter, otherwise my poor self will turn into fried meat. I'll do my best to give coherent replies to your comments though :D  
><strong>


	30. January 9th to 13th

**January 9th - 13th **

The sound of the alarm clock felt painful to Yuri's ears, and it was very sluggishly that he extracted himself from the bed and got ready to go back to school. So much had happened during the Christmas break that he didn't feel rested at all; therefore it was with utmost reluctance that he crossed the gates of the university, yawning openly and barely making any effort to keep his eyes open. That is, until he felt a pat on his shoulder and turned round to see the smiling face of his favourite blonde.

"Having it tough, aren't we?" Flynn teased him as they walked up the central alley.

"No kidding. And guess who the lecturer of my first class is." Yuri replied sullenly.

"If you're asking me, I can only say it should be Raven Schwann."

"Bull's eye."

"You'll survive. And I fear we'll have to part ways here. My building's over there, but we'll meet for lunch, as usual?" Flynn asked.

Yuri nodded, and a minute later, both boys were on their ways to their respective classes.

What Yuri didn't expect when he stepped in the lecture hall though, was to see someone who was definitely not Raven. He was about to check his schedule again to make sure he hadn't had the room wrong, but he recognized some other students who were already seated there. They looked slightly questioning but most certainly not as troubled as Yuri. Well, there may be an explanation to it, surely. He walked to the back of the room and went to his usual seat.

Once the hall looked quite full and the clock ticked to 8, the man who was standing at the lecturer's spot finally spoke:

"Good morning to you all. As you may have noticed, Mr Schwann who is normally in charge of this class isn't here right now. The fact is, Mr Schwann had to resign for various reasons and therefore I will be his replacement from now on."

If most students raised surprised eyebrows, Yuri was probably the most astounded one. Raven? Resigned? Without so much as a single notice? Yuri couldn't believe that Raven wouldn't have told him beforehand, even though rationally speaking, the man didn't have any reason to. Still... Yuri fought the urge to send a message to him right away, deeming better to call him for an explanation.

He barely listened to any of the lecture that ensued as his mind chose to focus on speculations about where Raven was and what had gone through him. Naturally, his first thoughts went to the recent event in the lower quarters. Was he still busy dealing with the damage and casualties? But if that was the case, then why _resign_? No matter how hard Yuri tried, he couldn't pinpoint a valid reason enough to explain Raven's decision.

It was pointless trying. The best way to know was to ask the man directly. Which Yuri clearly had the intention to do as soon as possible.

* * *

><p>The cafeteria was noisy, as usual, with everyone talking about their holidays and whatnot. At a table near a corner of the big room though, the topic of conversation was quite different.<p>

"He resigned?" Karol asked, staring stupidly at Yuri.

"Apparently. I tried to phone him between my classes, but he wouldn't pick up." the raven-haired boy replied.

"Why would he do that?" Karol frowned. "I mean, from what you told me, I'd understand if he took a short break, but resigning is a bit pushing it, isn't it?"

"That's what I'd like to know too."

"You could try asking Judith. She may know." Flynn suggested.

"Not a bad idea, though I have the feeling that Raven could have told her to keep her mouth shut." Yuri replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll try to call him again, and if needed, I'll go see Whitebeard."

"Why does it bother you so much, anyway?" Karol inquired as he shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth. "I mean, sure it'sh kinda weird, but it'sh poshible he juz' wants a change of air or shomeshing."

"I still find it strange." Yuri replied thoughtfully. "Oh, hey Estelle!" he added right after to the newcomer. The pink-haired girl put her tray on the table next to Karol while greeting back:

"Good afternoon, everyone. I'm sorry for being late." she apologized, but Karol sighed:

"It's not like we had an appointment or anything. You really need to learn how to loosen up, you know? Anyway, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing much, really." Estellise replied. "Rita is still at the hospital, I guess?"

"Yeah, she won't be out before a little while, which makes the little miss quite upset." Yuri said with amusement. "Right, Flynn?"

But the latter had his attention on what was on Estelle's tray. "Can I borrow your newspaper, Estellise?" he asked.

"Oh, certainly!" she said as she handed Flynn the paper.

The latter unfolded it to reveal the headlines and what he read made him purse his lips. Noticing Flynn's expression, Yuri took a peek as well and fell his body turn tense.

"_'Alexei Dinoia's popularity grows as criminality rate drops'_" he read. "You must be kidding me..." he added with a lower tone.

"I-Is there something wrong?" Estelle inquired with a hint of worry, but Yuri remained silent.

"Let's say we think that this man's popularity is overrated." Flynn explained as politely as he could.

"Why do you say so?" the girl asked. "Since he was put in charge of the national security, results have been good. I mean..." she hesitated a bit. "What happened in the lower quarters is proof of that, right? Though I don't really know the details..."

Yuri glanced at her. She didn't know the truth. The boys had considered it unnecessary to let her know.

"...but the person who was disposed of was a criminal, wasn't he? I wish he had received a fair trial instead, but I suppose sometimes it can't be that easy." she finished, lowering her head.

Flynn felt Yuri struggle to keep quiet and quickly caught his shaking hand in his, squeezing it as a silent way to tell him to calm down.

"Still, I believe that his actions are really efficient, and he is a kind man at heart." Estelle added, still unaware of the uneasiness at the table. That last sentence made Yuri curse silently. "I-Is there something wrong, Yuri?" Estelle asked.

"N-No, I just hit my knee against the table's leg." Yuri forced a smile.

"What makes you say he's kind and all?" Karol intervened in a lighter tone.

Estelle smiled brightly. "Well, he's my godfather." she said.

The three boys almost choked at those words, though it was Flynn who managed to put on the most impassive face. Estelle chuckled.

"I know, it can be a bit surprising, that is why I usually don't go around telling everyone, but I guess I can tell my friends." she said cheerfully. "My father and Alexei have known each other for a long time since they were in the same class in middle and high school."

"That is... quite unexpected." Flynn said as coolly as possible.

"So you must know him well?" Yuri asked a bit abruptly, but the girl didn't seem to notice.

"Of course! He used to eat at home a lot, but since he got his new affectation, he is much busier so I see him less." she replied.

"Still, it's totally weird to imagine that guy is your grandfather!" Karol exclaimed. "I mean, he's the chief of the national security!"

Estellise chuckled again. "It's nothing, really. It doesn't prevent him from being a normal human being, you know? He's a really nice man."

Flynn felt the storm approaching dangerously when Yuri put – almost slammed – down his fork on the tray.

"I think we should be leaving." the blonde boy said hastily before the situation got worse. "Come on, Yuri, you said your next class is on the other side of the campus." he patted Yuri's shoulder.

"Already? But you haven't even finished eating!" Karol protested. "And Estelle just joined us!"

"Yeah, but I have to go to the library first." Yuri finally managed to utter an excuse. Turning to Estellise, he wore an apologetic expression: "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep this night so I guess I'm a bit edgy."

The girl shook her head, smiling. "Oh it's fine, I understand. But make sure to rest well tonight."

"I will, thanks. Karol, you keep her company, then. Make sure not to bore her." Yuri smirked. The younger boy stuck his tongue out at him.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe that bastard is Estelle's freaking <em>godfather<em>." Yuri let out angrily as he was outside.

"It can't be helped, though I have to admit that took me by surprise too." Flynn nodded. "But Yuri, that wasn't very... subtle of you to react like that in front of her."

Yuri sighed. "I know. I just... it really infuriated me when I heard her compliment Alexei like that."

Flynn rubbed his back. "I understand, but in the future, try to control yourself a bit more."

"I'll try." Yuri sighed again, before he went on, a bit hesitant: "Say, Flynn... Do you have something planned on Friday evening?"

"Friday? Not particularly, why?"

"I promised you a dinner, didn't I?"

"But won't you be working?"

"I can asked to be replaced..."

"You just came back from a break and you're already asking for another day off? How lazy." Flynn teased him. "We can do that on another day, you know."

But Yuri shook his head stubbornly. "No. I want to do it on Friday."

"Well... if you insist, then why not?"

"Great!" Yuri looked truly relieved. He leant to Flynn's ear and whispered: "I'd kiss you on the spot if there weren't so many people around."

Flynn blushed faintly and chuckled. "At least you managed to control yourself."

"I wish I didn't have to." Yuri replied with a bit of a sullen tone.

"I... I know it can be frustrating, and you may call me paranoid, but I'd like to avoid having anyone we don't trust know about us." Flynn said apologetically. "For some reason I tend to think that my parents would hear about it at the faintest leak."

"Oh." Yuri merely said. "It's still cold war between you and them, then."

"More or less. Though for now I have some respite as they are away on a business trip and won't be back until next week. Anyway, back on the topic: what time on Friday and should I bring something?" Flynn asked.

"Let's say 7.30 pm and yes, you should bring your mighty self." Yuri sneered, earning himself an elbow between the ribs.

Both boys laughed. "My mighty self it is, then." Flynn repeated theatrically.

* * *

><p>"<em>Schwann speaking."<em>

Yuri let out a sigh of relief. "Took you some time." he said.

"_I figured I might as well reply, after six messages from you within two days."_ Raven replied with a hint of humour. _"So, what can I do for you?"_

"Why the hell did you resign?" Yuri asked reproachfully.

"_That's strange. I was certain that you didn't particularly like my classes. I thought I was a bad teacher, so I preferred to leave it to more competent people. Is my replacement no better?"_

"Stop messing around. I want to know why you left without even a word."

"_My, my. Aren't we demanding? Well, what can I tell you? I'm an old man, Yuri. And like any old man, I grow tired of things. So I left. It's as easy as that."_

"You won't make me believe that you quitted just because you were 'tired of things'." Yuri retorted.

"_Why is that?"_

"That's unlike you." Yuri heard Raven laugh.

"_You don't know me, Yuri. If my reason doesn't satisfy you, then I'm afraid I can't offer you any other one."_

"Then what are you going to do now?"

"_I'd say it's none of your business but I have the feeling you won't take that as an answer so I suppose I might as well tell you the truth: I'll help Whitehorse put back some order into the lower quarters."_

"That's all? But what about later?" Yuri insisted.

"_I'll see. Why are you so eager to know?"_

"I was wondering if you planned to let all that Alexei stuff slide just like that?"

"_So that's what is troubling you."_ Raven paused a short instant before going on: _"Yuri, you have to understand that there is nothing we can do against him. Even Whitehorse cannot."_

"So you're just letting it go." Yuri declared, trying to suppress the annoyance surfacing in him. He was disappointed. For some crazy reason, he had hoped that Raven would have been able to do something, anything, after what had happened in the lower quarters. Apparently he had asked for too much.

"_That's something you learn with time, Yuri. To let go when you have to."_

"I got it." the boy replied, more dryly that what he had intended to. "Well, sorry for the bother. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"_Say hi to the others for me."_

"Yeah."

As he put his phone back his pocket, Yuri lay down on his bed and sighed. So that was it. Alexei had killed Yeager and was fooling everyone – including his goddaughter – into believing his actions were righteous, and no one was going to prevent him from doing so. End of the story. Yuri couldn't believe it. He kept replaying in his head Alexei's words when he had seized Yeager's headquarters, the arrogance in his tone, the haughtiness in his eyes, the moment the bullet hit his former mentor, and then his false sympathy while in public. The memories wouldn't leave him alone, and somehow he didn't wish them to.

Raven's words echoed in his head. Maybe he was right. Maybe he had to learn how to let go, in order to be able to keep on living.

He had Flynn. He had Karol, Rita, Estellise, and Pia. Were they worth being thrown away for the mere sake of some petty revenge he knew was out of his reach? The answer was simple.

Closing his eyes, he let sleep take over him, his last thoughts going to Friday evening.

* * *

><p>Yuri put both his fists on his hips and looked at the table with satisfaction. A deep red tablecloth with matching napkins, shining plates, cutlery and stemmed glasses, and in the middle, various steaming dishes only waiting to be served. Perfect.<p>

And to make the evening start even more perfectly, Flynn came at 7.30 pm sharp. As he stepped inside Yuri's studio, he stared in amazement at the display, and inhaled the pleasant aromas floating in the room.

"Yuri, it smells delicious!" he exclaimed as he removed his coat and scarf – the one Yuri had offered him for Christmas.

"Curry beef with carrots and onions, saffron rice and chop suey vegetables with shrimp." Yuri counted on his fingers, smirking as he saw Flynn's eyes widen and sparkle with anticipation. "Everything is served with extra pepper, naturally." he dealt the final blow.

"Gosh Yuri, they are all my favourite dishes!"

"I know. Why do you think I chose those ones to practice my awesome cooking skills on?" Yuri asked, still smirking.

Flynn gave him a small punch in the shoulder. "Wipe that smug smile off your face, you braggart."

"Hey, watch your tongue or you won't get to eat anything." Yuri threatened.

"Alright." Flynn replied as he pulled the other boy to him and captured his lips.

Yuri let out a small moan, pleasantly surprised when Flynn put his tongue to a much better use. It seemed like Flynn was in a particularly good mood. The evening was promising.

When they pulled apart, Yuri grabbed Flynn's hand and pulled him to the table.

"You're forgiven. Now let's eat before everything gets cold." he said.

Flynn didn't need to be told twice; he took his seat while Yuri was the lids off the dishes. "You're fabulous, Yuri." he said with admiration.

"Liar. My cooking skills are." Yuri sneered. "I wonder if you'd have even looked at me twice if I couldn't cook."

Flynn sighed exaggeratedly. "I often wonder the same. I wonder what else exactly I find attractive in you."

"That's it. You get out of my house. Now."

"Shall I be forgiven with another kiss?" the blonde boy asked, feigning innocence.

"Do you think I'm that cheap?" Yuri crossed his arms, pretending to be offended. "I'm not even sure myself how I cope with you."

They stared at each other with amused defiance in their eyes, until Yuri had to bit his lip in order not to chuckle. Flynn was obviously also struggling to remain serious, but both boys' self-control didn't last long, and soon enough, laughter filled the room.

"Well, I guess we've wasted enough time like that." Yuri finally said as he grabbed a spoon and started filling Flynn's plate. "And today I'm kind enough to disregard your unkind comments."

"I deem myself lucky then."

"You should. Go ahead, taste and tell me what you think."

"I know before tasting that it can only be delicious." Flynn smiled as he picked his fork and took a piece of beef in his mouth. "Exquisite." he commented.

It was Yuri's turn to smile. "Glad you like it."

Flynn could not remember the last time he had eaten such tasty food, even in the parties he had attended as part of his parents' jobs. He was probably biased, but it wasn't as if he cared much. It was Yuri who had made all these dishes especially for him; what else could he ask for? He kept eating while trying not to look too famished, but the heavenly aromas coming from the dishes were a constant source of temptation. Apparently he was having great pleasure eating as he noticed Yuri gazing at him with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth and with obvious amusement.

On his side, Yuri was inwardly happy to see Flynn have such a good appetite. He had spent two evenings to prepare the food and was quite proud of the result; his reward for it was the expression on his lover's face. Of course, it wasn't the first time Flynn got to try his cooking, but today was special, even if Flynn didn't know it. The raven-haired male hadn't told him yet what it meant for him to be able to be together tonight.

It took about half an hour for the plates to be refilled and re-emptied, after which Flynn sighed in content.

"It was delicious, Yuri." he said. "As usual."

"Hey, it's not over yet." the other boy warned him. "I hope you still have some place down there for dessert."

"If it's you, I guess I can make an effort." Flynn replied with a smile.

"You'll be even more willing to make an effort when you know it's an Opera."

"Yuri, you're spoiling me tonight." the blonde boy noted without hiding his delight. "May I know what I did to deserve such attention?"

"Well, so far it has always been you putting up with me, so I thought I had to pay you back somehow." Yuri replied, shrugging. "Unfortunately I don't have any summer house by the beach to take you to, so I guess an Opera will have to do the trick. And if that can reassure you, I'm not doing it only for you. Operas are also my favourite cakes."

"That reassures me, indeed. For a second there I thought you were really only thinking of me."

"Hah! Aren't we overconfident? Here, eat instead of spouting nonsense." Yuri shoved a plate with a generous piece of the chocolate cake under Flynn's nose who didn't need to be told twice.

The first bite was an explosion of savours. Each layer of the cake that touched his tongue made him sigh silently of delight; first, the bitter chocolate glaze sweetened by the thin layers of coffee butter cream, then there was the ganache with a hint of Grand Marnier and finally, the soft sponge cake giving off a faint aroma of coffee. Heaven.

"Given your face, I guess my Opera was a complete success." Yuri observed with amusement, his chin resting on his palm.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with you, even though it flatters your ego too much." Flynn replied, chuckling.

Yuri pouted and crossed his arms. "I feel like kicking you out of my place to freeze to death outside." he mumbled, not deigning to look at Flynn anymore.

A soft smile graced the blonde boy's lips as he stood up from his seat and walked to Yuri who was still sulking and ignoring him. He held out his hand to the other boy's face and delicately brushed the tip of his fingers against his cheek, inviting Yuri to turn his head to him. When the latter finally did, Flynn planted a kiss on his lips.

Unexpectedly enough, Yuri actually pushed Flynn back, though more in playful manner than seriously; he was still pretending to brood. At first surprised by the gesture, Flynn slowly shook his head with a sigh. Then he got an idea.

He put one knee down and took Yuri's hands in his. That got Yuri's attention. Now that his boyfriend was finally looking at him, Flynn breathed in deeply and declared solemnly:

"Yuri Lowell, tonight my fate rests entirely in your hands, and should you decide to abandon my miserable self to the merciless claws of winter, I would die with only one regret: not having been worthy of spending my life by your side."

Silence followed, during which Yuri blinked several times, completely dumbfounded. And then he burst out in laughter. Flynn himself was having some trouble remaining serious at his own words, though he managed to keep a semblance of an impassive expression. However, what he didn't expect was for Yuri to suddenly jump on him, making him fall on his back before straddling him and kissing him fiercely. It was at that moment that Flynn realized that Yuri had his wrists pinned on both sides of his head, and his grip was strong.

"You're an idiot, Flynn." the long-haired male said between two kisses. "An idiot."

"I sometimes surprise myself as well." Flynn replied with a smile. "Do you plan for us to stay like this for the whole night?" he then asked.

"You mean, with you lying there at my mercy and begging me to let you go?" Yuri pretended to think. "Sounds like a good idea to me." he whispered at his lover's ear.

And suddenly Flynn felt his cheeks grow hot, and the fact that Yuri had started laying feather-like kisses on his neck didn't help him cool down.

"Yuri..." he breathed out in a futile attempt at protesting though he stretched his neck unconsciously. The wooden floor felt cold through his clothes, and yet it was warmth that was spreading through his body, a strange warmth that was sending chills to the tip of his limbs. "Yuri..." he repeated.

The latter rested his head with a sigh against Flynn's chest, loosening the grip on his wrists. And then a few words were murmured, sounding more like a request than a simple question:

"You're staying here tonight, aren't you?"

Flynn didn't reply at first. They had already spent nights together more than once, it shouldn't be a problem tonight either. So why did he have the feeling that this time was a bit different from the other nights? Sure, it was usually at his own place, not Yuri's, but that didn't change anything, did it? Or maybe it was the way Yuri was now looking at him expectantly, without a word, with a faint blush on his cheeks. Since when did Yuri blush while asking that they spent the night together? And why, oh why did Yuri suddenly look so... attractive, sitting on his lap like that with a few strands of his loosely tied hair falling down his shoulders? Why was his heart starting to pound against his chest without his being able to do anything about it? Why was the room feeling so hot suddenly?

Thoughts surfaced in his mind, thoughts that made him feel even more uncomfortable, thoughts he feared would soon be betrayed by his own body. He stood up hurriedly, prompting Yuri to move aside, and coughed in embarrassment.

"I-I'm not sure it's a good idea." he said hesitantly, trying to ignore the disappointment in Yuri's eyes. He had to find an excuse, quickly. "You have to go work tomorrow so I shouldn't be bothering you. I-I'll help you clear the table first, of course, and then I'll be leav-"

But he was interrupted when two hands cupped his face and a pair of lips silenced him. Arms circled his neck, not leaving him any freedom to pull back and protest. Yuri's mouth was still sweet from the Opera, Flynn noticed, and Yuri's tongue against his made the little resistance he had falter to nothing. His arms soon found their ways around Yuri's waist and pulled the boy closer. His head started feeling dizzy, yet pleasantly so.

"Stay..." Yuri repeated in a husky whisper against his lips.

What was it that made Flynn unable to protest? Perhaps Yuri had a way to read his mind and know exactly the words to say and how to say them to make all of Flynn's defences shatter?

Fate made sapphire eyes meet ebony ones. Maybe he'd have resisted if he hadn't made the mistake of gazing into Yuri's eyes. But it was too late. If there had been some resistance left at some point, then it was nowhere to be found now. Flynn's heart was beating so strongly that he feared his chest might not stand the pounding. The room felt much warmer than a little while ago, and going back home in the cold was now a very distant thought.

"Yuri..." he murmured, unsure of what to say. There was no need to be an expert to decipher what he was reading in Yuri's eyes, and the meaning was scaring him as much as it induced an excitement so far unknown to him. And from the way Yuri was looking back at him, the long-haired boy was reading the very same thing in Flynn's eyes.

True enough, Yuri wasn't completely oblivious when it came to people's feelings. Especially when those feelings matched his so perfectly. His body was seized with thrills of anticipation even though he had no idea what was awaiting him if both boys decided to take the path that was unwinding in front of them. But the time was long over to ponder about possibilities.

He wasn't even sure if it was himself who grabbed Flynn's hand and invited him to the bed of if it was a trick of his unconscious side; but that point didn't matter anymore. The desire they had read in each other's eyes was all that mattered. He gave up on any attempt at thinking wisely or rationally.

Yuri welcomed Flynn with open arms as the latter gently laid him down on the bed and kissed him hungrily, muffling all of his moans and turning them to soft whimpers. And yet this wasn't enough; he needed to feel more, and he was certain that Flynn was in the same situation as him given how his hand had started slipping under his shirt and roaming over his chest. He gasped softly and shivered at the touch of Flynn's fingers on his skin; they were moving at such slow a pace that it felt almost like torture to him. Paradoxically, he didn't want Flynn to go any faster; he wanted to savour each minute, each second that passed without any rush. He shut his eyes to allow his body to only _feel_, feel the fabric of his clothes slide off him, feel Flynn's hot breath on his skin, feel every part where he was touched be set on fire, feel that very same fire pool in the pit of his stomach and arouse him in an alien yet so pleasurably sweet way to him.

His breathing turned ragged, his fingers gripped the bedsheets tightly, his mind was progressively fading to leave room to raw feelings. And then Flynn's voice rose softly, hesitantly:

"Yuri... I... I'm not sure... where this is going..."

Yuri opened his eyes to see Flynn's flushed face only a few inches away from his and an uncertain look reflected in his enthralling lagoon irises. "That makes both of us." he replied gently. "But does it matter?"

"You... We shouldn't..." Flynn bit his lower lip, inwardly struggling against himself. It didn't help when Yuri's hand started wandering slowly on his bare shoulder and slid over his back then round his neck, seductively and enticingly so. He was dangerously close to succumbing, and the thought of it left him rather insecure.

He was torn apart between his sensible self which was telling him that moving on was completely unreasonable, and his irrational self which kept whispering at him to give in and take what he was being offered. _He wants it. You both want it. You desire him. You've desired him for too long. _But was he ready actually cross the line?

"I don't know how–" he went on, but Yuri interrupted him with a shake of his head.

"I don't care. Do you think I'm more knowledgeable than you?" he asked.

"But... this could be disappointing."

"Then we'll try again."

Flynn swallowed. There was a demon in him constantly nudging him and telling him to stop being so indecisive. _He wants it. Who are you to refuse him?_

"Flynn... Stopping now would be quite cruel." Yuri said softly. Flynn gazed at him and felt a surge of heat that made him shiver at the sight displayed under his eyes.

Yuri was looking away, trying to conceal a hopeful expression, his cheeks reddened, his lips breathing out small pants in the most alluring way, and dishevelled strands of hair on his face and his exposed chest as if scattered there expertly for the sole purpose of striking Flynn where he was most likely to yield.

Yuri was simply beautiful.

_You want him so much it would hurt you more not to give him what he is asking for. _He let his fingers slip in the cascade of raven hair, stroking it fondly. His lips curled up in a soft smile. There was still hesitation left in him, but it was that hesitation that prompted him to lean down and kiss Yuri; it was that same hesitation that made him pronounce the words which he was dying to say and which Yuri was dying to hear:

"I love you, Yuri."

Those words were the prelude to an unforgettable night for both boys. They melted in each other's embrace without holding back any of their feelings, simply following what their instincts were dictating them and losing themselves in the delights of each other's body. Burning caresses were following feverish kisses and pants were broken with gasps and pleas. They were filling their ears with each other's voice calling out their respective names, imprinting in their minds each other's scent and tasting each other restlessly as if they were never able to be sated.

Their movements were sometimes awkward and uncertain but it didn't matter; what they felt for each other was enough replacement for experience. None of them would boast that they were confident enough in their actions, but they had been together for long enough to know that they wanted to cross the line and take their relationship to the most intimate stage that could be. It felt only natural.

The night was long, and it was barely starting for Yuri and Flynn. The bed was creaking softly, in rhythm as they moved in unison, their breathings matching perfectly. The surrounding world had ceased to exist for long, leaving behind only a blank chaos of passion, heat and desire.

"Flynn, don't stop... Don't... ahh... stop..." Yuri exhaled as he arched his back, seeking more contact with his lover. It was strange; the more Flynn was giving him, the more he was craving for. He wanted, _needed_ Flynn close to him; as close as could be. Was it what it meant to be in love with someone? To be ready to abandon oneself to that person unconditionally until there was nothing left anymore? Because it was how Yuri felt; exhaustion was straining and emptying both his body and mind, and yet he couldn't let go of Flynn.

And Flynn wasn't showing any sign of wanting to let him go. The blonde boy was drowning in Yuri and he wouldn't have accepted any help to get free. He knew that it was too late to go back now, and the thought of it only served to strengthen his conviction to stay by Yuri's side, no matter the obstacles that would show up on the tortuous path they had chosen. Tonight was his silent commitment to always move forward together, regardless of what would be awaiting them. Yuri's name escaped his lips once more, as if to confirm his conviction.

Their breathings started getting more erratic, their pleasure building up and consuming them slowly in a blaze of bliss and driving them closer and closer to their limits, and their sometimes clumsy gestures did nothing to spoil the atmosphere; on the contrary, they drove the two lovers to try again until they finally managed, and when they did, the satisfaction was even greater. At some point, some chuckles could even be heard amid the soft cries and pants.

They reached the paroxysm of rapture with each other's name on their lips, leaving their minds void and their heads in an ecstatic daze. The boys lay there, limbs entangled, fingers laced, their chests heaving up and down in sync as they were trying to take their breaths back. They didn't really know how much time passed before Yuri spoke, drained:

"What just happened... Flynn, I wasn't dreaming, was I?" he murmured.

The blonde male smiled gently as he laid a light kiss on Yuri's lips. "You tell me."

But then Yuri got an unexpected reaction: he clung tightly to Flynn. "I don't want it to be a dream." The words came as a barely audible whisper.

"Then it is not." the other boy replied, stroking Yuri's hair softly.

The latter snuggled closer to Flynn as he usually did when they were sleeping in the same bed. Nothing had changed. Flynn was still putting his arms around him in the same way as usual, still playing with his hair as usual, still kissing him on the forehead as usual.

A lot had changed. From scorn to indifference and friendship, they had come to much deeper feelings towards one another, and tonight their relationship had taken a new turn. The intimacy they had shared wasn't comparable to anything they had done before. Yuri was suddenly seized with doubt. Was Flynn feeling the same? Was he realizing what it meant to Yuri? Or was it just a step like any other to him?

"Yuri, you're shivering." Flynn noticed. He tugged the blanket over their naked bodies before pulling Yuri back into his arms. "Here. How are you feeling?" he inquired with obvious concern.

"Tired." the latter replied. "But I'm glad you're here with me."

"Of course I'm here with you, Yuri. How could I not be with you when it's your special day today?"

Yuri blinked in surprised and raised his eyes to Flynn who smiled gently.

"Happy birthday, Yuri." he said.

So Flynn had known since the beginning, Yuri thought, even though he had no idea how.

"You weren't supposed to know." he said.

"Why would you hide it from me?"

"I... I wanted it to be a normal day." Yuri replied. "I didn't want you to feel obliged to come or do anything just to please me."

Flynn sighed. "How silly can you be? I came because I wanted to. And... what we just did, both you and I wanted it, didn't we?" he asked, blushing faintly.

Yuri didn't reply immediately. Instead, a small smile appeared on his lips.

"You're right. As always." he nodded.

Silence followed his words. Only the beating of their hearts and their faint breathing could be heard. It was only after several minutes that Flynn spoke again, though it was more a soft whisper than anything else:

"I love you, Yuri. Even if you were to throw me out, I'd come back to you anyway, because I want it. And not even you would make me change my mind."

Surprise, then utmost relief filled Yuri. So that was how it was.

It was a good birthday.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx**

**A/N: I just wanna say a big thanks to those who're still sticking with this story. Hope you liked the chapter! And yes, this story will remain T-rated. Not M. Thanks to L., who will recognize herself, for overcoming her laziness and deigning to go upstairs for my sake :D  
><strong>


	31. January 14th to 31st

**January 14th to 31st **

A faint noise reached Flynn's ears and pulled him out of his sleep. It wasn't completely dark around him, but neither was it light enough for him to see clearly. However, as his eyes started getting used to the lack of luminosity, he managed to make out a silhouette in front of him. He stirred a bit in the bed and rubbed his eyes; it was at that moment he remembered that the room he was currently in wasn't his, but Yuri's. And it was Yuri who was standing in front of him, his back turned to him and – from what Flynn could see – getting dressed silently. The blonde male sat up, the blanket sliding down his bare shoulders.

"Already up?" he asked with a half-sleepy voice.

Yuri turned his head to him, both his hands busy tying his hair up, and smiled. "I have to go work." he said.

"Too bad you didn't ask for the day off, or even half the day." Flynn sighed, but Yuri chuckled.

"Hey, I need to feed myself and pay the rent, you know." he replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'm already a bit tight on money, I can't really afford skipping more work."

"You know," Flynn's fingers reached Yuri's hair, playing absent-mindedly with a few stray strands. "You could come and live with me." he suggested out of the blue.

Surprised eyes landed on him. He wasn't certain himself about what had prompted him to make such an offer, but somehow, it made sense in his head. It was only after a few seconds of silence that he seemed to realize how sudden he had sounded, and he added hastily:

"N-Never mind! It was just some random thought that crossed my mind. I guess I must still not be fully awake..."

"It's fine." Yuri replied with a nod. He then smiled. "You can go back to sleep if you want. I'll leave the keys here, just be kind enough to drop by the Square 9 to give them back to me." He stood up. "I need to go now before I'm late."

But Flynn didn't intend to let him go so easily. He caught his hand and tugged on it. "Yuri." He paused. "Don't you want to talk? About... this night?"

Was it anxiety that reflected in his tone? Maybe. How could he not feel a bit anxious at seeing Yuri resuming his life as if nothing had happened? Was he wrong to think that their relationship now couldn't be comparable with the one they had barely a day ago? He feared for an instant that it wasn't how Yuri viewed things. His way of thinking was different from that of most people after all, and Flynn couldn't blame him for that, considering that he hadn't been raised in the most conventional ways.

Yet, as he gazed back at Yuri, he saw the latter looking away.

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say." he finally answered, rather nervously. "It's... quite difficult."

"Did it at least mean something to you?" Flynn insisted, trying not to sound too desperate.

Yuri blinked several times before sitting back on the bed and pulling Flynn against him, locking him in a tight embrace. The gesture surprised Flynn but pleased him nonetheless. He let the other boy nuzzle his neck as if he was seeking comfort; comfort which Flynn provided him with by returning the embrace.

"You idiot, of course it does. It means more than you can imagine. I guess I'm just very bad at expressing myself. Or maybe I feared that I'd sound too clingy if I talked to you about it."

The words had been almost whispered, and made Flynn smile.

"You're the idiot one, Yuri." he said.

"I hear that quite often, yeah."

"And I happened to fall in love with that very same idiot." Flynn sighed. "I guess it means I'm really one as well."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take it." Yuri said with suspicion as he pulled back and crossed his arms.

"Take it as a compliment then. And shouldn't you be going to work now?"

"Well, I'd be long gone now if a certain idiot wasn't keeping me back." Yuri snorted.

"Then allow that idiot to keep you back a bit longer." Flynn replied as he leant forward and kissed his lover, slowly yet with obvious hunger. The latter didn't protest.

Well, being a few minutes late wouldn't change anything, would it?

* * *

><p>Flynn did come to find him at the Square 9, but he wasn't alone.<p>

"Yuri! Happy belated birthday!" Karol exclaimed as he stepped inside the pub, earning himself a few glances from the customers there.

From behind the bar, Yuri raised his head and rolled his eyes.

"Idiot! No need to shout it like that!" a more feminine voice scolded Karol. Yuri cocked an eyebrow, surprised. "And don't look at me like that, I'm not a ghost." Rita added when Estellise entered as well, pushing the wheelchair in which the brunette was sitting. Her head was still bandaged and her arm in plaster. It was probably why she hadn't been able to hit Karol as she usually did.

"What are you even doing here? You're not supposed to be allowed out of the hospital, if I remember well." Yuri inquired.

"Let's say I can be very convincing when I want something." Rita shrugged.

"Very annoying, you mean." Karol muttered.

"You didn't tell us it was your birthday, Yuri! When was it?" One of the waiters poked him with an elbow.

"It was yesterday." Yuri replied as he filled a cup with coffee and served it to a customer who was seated by the bar.

"Oooh so that's why you wanted your evening off! Well, happy belated birthday."

"And here's the birthday cake!" Karol jumped in, putting a huge box on the bar. "Come on, come on! Open it and let's put some candles on it!"

"Easy, Karol." Yuri sighed. "How did you even remember my birthday?"

"He didn't." Rita answered for him with a snort. "Pia did, though. We tried phoning you yesterday evening, but you wouldn't pick up."

"Oh. My phone was switched off." Yuri merely commented. His gaze and Flynn's met in a quick glance. A small smile was adorning the blonde boy's lips. "I suppose Pia is watching over the kids?"

But Karol shook his head. "No, actually she's kinda sick, so it's Judith who's taking care of them. It's just a cold, the doctor said, so no need to worry."

"Judith?" Yuri frowned. So she had gone back to work, it seemed. For a second he wondered if she knew something more about Raven, but now was maybe not the best time to ponder on such matters. "Well, since she's a nurse, she'll look over Pia too. But really, catching a cold even after I advised her countless times to be careful during winter..."

"Since when are you the one to give advice?" Flynn asked, amused.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuri narrowed his eyes.

"That you're an idiot." Rita replied immediately. "Well, we had planned to come here to make a surprise celebration anyway, with or without Pia. Though it'd have been better if she was with us. We'll have a thought for her while eating the cake. It was Estelle who picked it by the way."

"Let's see... An apple charlotte? Wow, thanks Estelle!" Yuri whistled as he opened the box. The cake was decorated with red berries and whipped cream with swirls of chocolate and splinters of toffee, making Yuri lick his lips.

"It's nothing, my parents have a friend who has her own bakery, and she makes delicious cakes!" the pink-haired girl smiled.

"Let's eat, let's eat!" Karol was almost drooling at the sight of the cake.

"Isn't Yuri supposed to put candles on it first?" Flynn asked.

"Screw the candles, I'm cutting the cake already." Yuri said, a knife in his hand.

Soon enough, all five of them were sitting at a round table and savouring the charlotte. Yuri had been the quickest to finish his plate as he had to 'hurry and go back to work before getting a salary cut'. The others stayed there for lunch as well, which made Yuri feel happy inwardly.

It had been over three years since he last had a birthday cake with his friends. At the time when he was still at the orphanage, Pia would bake a huge pie, put candles on it and then all the kids there would celebrate with him. Naturally, she did that for every child's birthday, which meant that it wasn't rare to hear 'Happy birthday' being sung loudly while passing by the orphanage. Well, Pia wasn't there today, but his friends were, and Flynn as well.

As he was cleaning a glass dry, his eyes lingered on his lover. The latter was chatting enthusiastically with Karol at the bar, unaware of the persistent gaze on him. Flashbacks of the past night kept popping in Yuri's head, sometimes making him smile stupidly and sometimes sending shivers down his spine, especially when remembering the most feverish moments of the night. And it was during those phases of reminiscence that he had very serious urges to stop everything that he was doing, take Flynn away and do things to him that were normally considered very indecent publicly.

Flynn suddenly turned to him as if he was about to tell him something but as their eyes met again, Yuri ran his tongue over his lips seductively, quickly enough not to be noticed by the others, but definitely enough for Flynn to flush and cough away his embarrassment. That made the dark-haired boy laugh inwardly.

On his side, Flynn couldn't help but wonder what exactly was going on in Yuri's mind. At times he was acting too cockily for his own good – like now – while at other times he looked so vulnerable and fragile... as if two different personalities were living in one body. Flynn didn't mind though; it was those two aspects that made his charm.

At some point, Yuri vanished in the kitchen and a few seconds later, a message arrived on Flynn's phone. It took him several seconds to understand the meaning of the words he read, but as soon as he did, he almost choked and put back the phone hastily in his pocket before anyone else could see the message.

_'Tonight we're switching roles.'_

Flynn tried his best to ignore the questioning look he received from his peers while cursing Yuri mentally. He decided that he hated his cocky side.

Later on, when night came, he also decided that Yuri could sometimes have excellent ideas.

* * *

><p>A new week arrived, and for once Yuri was able to enjoy it without any major event. It seemed like fate had decided to give him some respite and he was grateful for it; during day, he could see Flynn at school while on the evenings, well... The fact that Flynn had extra hours of work because of his contracts didn't allow him to spend much time with Yuri, much to the latter's regret. They would spend the nights together, most of the time, but Flynn usually went to sleep rather late and Yuri never had the heart to keep him awake when knowing they had school on the next day. It frustrated him all the more as he knew that weekends wouldn't be better since he had to work. Naturally, Flynn had tried smoothing his frustration down with promises that every week wouldn't be like that; Yuri really hoped so.<p>

Today the group was eating at the cafeteria together – without Rita – and chatting about random topics which were mainly suggested by Karol.

"Hey Flynn, you didn't tell us when your birthday is!" was the current topic.

"It's in February. The 6th more precisely." the blonde boy replied.

"It's very soon then." Estellise observed. "We will have to hold a party! Unless your parents already have something planned."

Flynn shook his head. "No, we don't usually have big celebrations for birthdays in my family." he said with a neutral tone.

"What a surprise." Yuri added sarcastically.

"Why don't you celebrate? Parties are fun!" Karol exclaimed.

"Let's say my parents are usually too busy to think about things like that." Flynn replied with a smile. "Traditionally they order the cook to make a fancier dinner than usual, and that's about all. But I don't mind, really."

"But that's so sad! So you don't get any present?" the youngest boy insisted.

Could the amount of money he received in his account from his parents at each birthday be called a present? Well, probably. He doubted it was the kind of present Karol meant, though.

"I don't particularly need anything." was his reply.

"But presents aren't necessarily useful." Estelle pointed out. "One of the first presents I ever remember receiving from my father was actually even very boring." she added, chuckling.

"What was it?" Karol asked.

"When I was 7, he brought me to court to see one of the trials he prosecuted."

"Seriously? What kind of present is that? I'd have died of boredom if it had been me!" the youngest boy exclaimed.

Estelle laughed. "Well, apparently my mother had the same opinion as you, but my father really insisted. He thought it would be interesting for me to see a real trial."

"I'll ask Estelle's dad to find a nice present for you, Flynn." Yuri sneered while patting Flynn's shoulder, earning a glare from the latter.

"No thanks, Yuri. I'm more than fine with not receiving any present." he replied, making the others laugh.

"Come on! I'm sure you'd love going to a trial! Her dad said it's very interesting!" the long-haired male continued teasing him.

"Moreover, with all the criminals being arrested right now, I'm pretty certain there would be a trial around your birthday." Estelle added with a joking tone.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Karol inquired.

"Well, my godfather keeps arresting criminals almost every day, and he requests that they are tried as soon as possible." the pink-haired girl explained. "So from what I heard from my father, he and his colleagues are really busy right now. Especially my father, because he is the one in charge of the biggest cases."

Estelle's godfather. Right. Yuri had almost forgotten about him. Almost. Alexei Dinoia, that man who presented himself as a defender of justice while hiding to the public his true nature. He clenched his fists unconsciously.

"Damn, Alexei is taking his job very seriously." he heard Karol say.

"Isn't it good?" Estelle intervened. "He arrests those who break the law, and then my father gives them a fair trial in which they receive the sentence they deserve. It is how justice should work."

"But your father isn't a judge." Yuri observed, trying to ignore the unpleasant feeling he had whenever Alexei's name was pronounced. "He can't decide whether or not someone is guilty."

"No he can't, but he can present evidence. That's how he builds all of his cases: by gathering solid evidence to make sure the final verdict is as fair as possible." the girl explained patiently. "My father works very hard to avoid sentencing an innocent person."

"I read on the newspapers that there is a trial almost every day and they are usually done within a few hours." Flynn said thoughtfully. "It almost sounds like mass-sentencing. How can they be certain they aren't rushing the investigations?"

"My godfather told me that the people he arrests have been marked by the police for long, but most of them were let free because of corruption and for fear of retaliation. That's why he has decided to change the situation by taking strong measures against those problems. He has very efficient teams which can–"

Yuri stopped listening. He didn't care that Alexei was Estelle's godfather; to him he was but a very smart bastard who knew he could act however he pleased because he had the power to. He was the one who had shot down Yeager and threatened to do the same to Whitehorse. And he had probably done something to Raven as well, from the little Yuri had managed to grasp. It made him sick.

He felt a hand slip over his, under the table. Flynn wasn't looking at him, but the mere gesture was significant enough for him.

At least he could always count on Flynn to support him.

* * *

><p>"<em>Raven, please phone me back."<em>

Delete.

"_Raven, please do phone me back."_

Delete.

"_Raven, I understand how you feel but you need to talk to someone. Please call me."_

Delete.

"_Raven, I hope you remember what happened the last time you made me upset."_

His finger froze. Yes he remembered, all too well. As much as Judy was normally a very calm and collected person, she could turn into a real tigress within a second if rubbed the wrong way. Her kicks were particularly powerful, Raven mused as the distant memory of a certain painful day came back to him; a day when he had teased her maybe a bit too much.

Letting out a sigh of defeat, he dialled Judith's number.

"_Well, it took you some time."_ her usual soft voice made Raven smile.

"And good afternoon to you too, darling."

"_Darling, is it? It's been a long time since I last heard you call me like that."_

"Don't sound so cold, it's making my heart break." Raven pretended to sound hurt.

"_How about we go straight to the point? Tell me, what do you have in mind now?"_

"Right now? I was thinking it would be nice to have a drink with you tonight, somewhere. And then–"

"_What do you have in mind about Alexei?"_ Judith cut him off, making Raven sigh.

"Must you ask? I have nothing in mind about him. I'm over it."

"_Are you certain?"_

"Would you doubt me?"

"_Under normal circumstances, no. But these aren't normal circumstances."_

"I don't see what you mean." Raven replied innocently.

"_Casey."_

The mere fact of hearing Casey's name made Raven tense up. However, he managed to regain control soon enough to reply:

"She is dead. There's nothing I can do about that."

"_...I understand. I suppose I got worried for nothing, then."_

"Did you think I'd do something stupid?"

"_Honestly, yes."_

"Judy, Judy. Now that's not very nice from you to doubt me like that."

"_Well, you reassure me. That's all I wanted to make sure of."_

"How sweet of you to concern yourself about me, darling."

Judith chuckled. _"I concern myself about idiots. Well, if your offer for a drink still stands, I guess it wouldn't hurt to go out a bit tonight."_

"Usual place, usual time?"

"_Sure. See you there."_

As he hung up, Raven let out a new sigh, this time of bitterness.

How he hated lying to her.

* * *

><p>Saturday morning, Flynn opened his eyes slowly and rubbed them with a lazy hand. A first attempt at moving a bit made him wince as his lower back sent him a reminder of how active Yuri had been last night. He flushed slightly at the thought, and felt a wave of warmth spread through his body as his mind automatically rewound back a few hours ago, remembering Yuri's demanding kisses which would leave him breathless and panting, Yuri's feverish caresses making him both shiver of pleasure and burn with desire, Yuri's incredible stamina when he... Flynn's face turned redder at the memory. If anyone imagined Yuri to be girlish because of his long hair, then Flynn could testify that he was a male all right. He wasn't even sure which drove him the craziest during their heated nights: giving or receiving; both had proved equally thrilling.<p>

Something moved against him. Or rather, someone. Nestled against him and deeply buried under the blanket was Yuri, who was snoring softly. A glance at the clock on the desk indicated that it was still early, much to Flynn's relief. He didn't want to leave his bed yet. Yuri had to work today, naturally, but it wasn't before an hour, which still left him a bit of time to enjoy to the other boy's company a bit, even though the latter was sleeping.

He carefully slipped a hand in the long raven hair, always amazed at how Yuri could keep it so smooth and knot-free. His other hand snaked about Yuri's bare waist, still as delicately as he could so as not to wake Yuri up. To him, the mere fact that he could be together with Yuri, laying in the same bed and waking up to a normal morning like any other normal couple was a miracle; as for knowing until when it was going to last, Flynn could only pray and hope.

Yuri stirred against him and snuggled closer, and Flynn could feel his breathing against his chest.

"...too much salt..." Yuri muttered in his sleep, making Flynn smile and wonder what kind of dream he was having at the moment. A culinary one, most certainly.

His phone suddenly buzzed, making him jump and whisper a curse. Extracting himself from the bed as swiftly as he could, he grabbed his dressing gown and caught his phone. In the meantime, a certain dark-haired male was slowly waking up, frowning at the sudden noise. Shifting under the blanket, he spotted the vague silhouette of Flynn a bit farther away and managed to grasp a few words through his sleepy state:

"...such an idiot."

He then saw Flynn put his phone back with clear irritation before turning to him.

"Oh Yuri, you're awake. I'm sorry, I forgot to turn off the alarm-clock." he sighed.

"Hmm." was all that Yuri managed to reply before stretching his arms languorously and yawning loudly. "What time is it?" he then asked.

"A bit past 7. You can go back to sleep if you want." Flynn replied as he walked to the door.

"What are you doing?" Yuri asked, sitting up.

"Going for breakfast. And then I'll work a bit. I might as well do that since I'm awake."

But Yuri reacted very quickly and grabbed Flynn's wrist as he walked past him. "You're going nowhere. There's an hour left, and I'm going to make damn sure we enjoy it." he said as a smirk slowly appeared on his lips. Then he slipped out of the bed, not caring that he was still naked, and pressed himself against Flynn's back.

"Yuri, it's already morning and–" Flynn gasped when Yuri's hand slowly found its way between his legs, and suddenly his gown felt like in the way. Yet his sensible self was still resisting. "Yuri, this is not the time to–"

"You didn't really seem to mind last night." Yuri whispered huskily at his ear. "And it's your fault for waking me up."

"I already apologized for it!"

"Oh, and I'll let you top this time."

Flynn's sensible self didn't hold long.

* * *

><p>"Yuri, you're late today." Melody said reproachfully.<p>

"Yeah, sorry. I had an unexpected issue to deal with." the boy replied, putting on his best innocent face.

"Well, at least you're not sick. For a moment I feared you got hit by the epidemic as well."

"Epidemic?"

"You don't read the news? They say there's a sort of flu epidemic spreading worldwide. Apparently they're not really sure what it is and it's been kinda worrying the public health department. Here, it's on today's paper too." The waitress handed Yuri a newspaper. Opening it at the right page, he skimmed through the article:

"_Has the flu virus evolved again? That's the question most laboratories are trying to answer to. The first patients were diagnosed around a month ago, showing symptoms of a simple cold: fever, a running nose and light cough. However, it has been found out that normal medication is ineffective against the new virus and more and more people are being infected as it is very probable that the virus is contagious. Some patients have been hospitalized due to a worsening conditions, and so far no known treatment seems to have any real effect._

_The Ministry of Health recommends everyone to be very vigilant and reminds the main hygiene rules: wash your hands thoroughly before eating, wear a mask whenever you start coughing–"_

"Hm, well for now I'm still fine." Yuri handed back the paper with a shrug.

"That's good to hear. But be careful." Melody advised. "It'd be a pain for us if our best cook were to fall sick." she winked.

"Thanks for worrying about my health first." Yuri grunted, making the girl laugh.

The rest of the day passed rather quickly, and so did the rest of the weekend. Though Yuri didn't say it out loud, he had particularly enjoyed the past week, spent mainly between his job, school, his friends and Flynn; and nothing annoying to bother about. He had started learning to appreciate the life of a normal student, even though his mind sometimes wandered to less happy memories, but that was also part of a normal life, wasn't it?

However, the little respite he was offered barely lasted as the next week saw an unexpected event come and disrupt the fragile peace.

On that day, Yuri was on his way to the university, his earphones on as usual and hardly paying any attention to the people passing by. Still, the black Mercedes that was coming to his direction was much too out of place here for him not to notice it. And when the said car made a U-turn to park right next to him, he definitely couldn't ignore it anymore as he finally recognized it. The next few seconds confirmed his suspicions as the back door opened to reveal a woman seated inside and staring at him coldly and haughtily. She had fair auburn hair falling in curls past her shoulders, Yuri noticed, and the same blue eyes as Flynn. Except that Flynn would never look at him the way that woman did.

"Mister Yuri Lowell." she spoke, her tone as icy as her stare. "I'd like to have a word with you about my son Flynn. I suggest you have a seat, as it is warmer inside. It won't take long, if you fear to be late for school."

Yuri hated her at once. The way she had spoken clearly sounded more like an order than an actual suggestion, and Yuri was very tempted for a second to ignore her and be on his way. However, he had the feeling that his resisting wouldn't be beneficial to neither him nor Flynn. Therefore he complied, though with a loud, mental sigh. As soon as he closed the car door, Flynn's mother spoke again:

"I heard you are often seen in my son's company." she said without beating about the bush. "I request that you stop seeing him."

How much did she know about his and Flynn's relationship? Yuri pondered. She probably thought they were just friends, otherwise her reaction would have undoubtedly been much less pleasant. Still, Yuri wasn't going to let that woman order him around.

"I've done nothing to harm Flynn, so I don't see any reason f–"

"Your mere presence around him is harming him." she snapped dryly. "You must understand that he has a status to preserve, and by no means can he be seen befriending the likes of you."

"I think that Flynn is big enough to decide on his own who to befriend and who not to." Yuri retorted, trying to contain his frustration.

"I am his mother, I know better than him what is good for him. And I'm sorry to say so, but though I suppose you aren't a bad lad, my son cannot reach his full potential by staying with people like you."

"Oh really? That's funny because I was thinking that _you_ were the one who doesn't let him reach his 'full potential', as you say." Yuri replied, making Flynn's mother turn white.

"As I thought," she said, tightening her lips, "you are but a mere insolent good-for-nothing who has the worst influence on my son. Fortunately, I have something here to deal with those of your kind."

Yuri watched with a frown as she picked a purse from her handbag. Was she going to pull a gun out and shoot him? The crazy thought crossed his mind for a second, until he saw her produce a check. A mere glance at it revealed to Yuri more enough zeros to wonder if the woman wasn't actually insane.

"For you. In exchange, I want you not to get near my son anymore." she stated as if it was something natural to do.

Now Yuri actually stared at her then at the check with disbelief. Anger seized him; if she had been a man, he would have probably punched her. But instead, he uttered his answer as coldly as could be:

"I refuse. There are things worth much more than money on this world."

Then he exited the car and slammed the door behind him, and resumed walking to the university without even a glance back. However, at each step he took, a very unpleasant feeling gnawed him from inside. He had refused the deal and he was certain that Flynn's mother wasn't going to let it slide so easily; she had means, and hell only knew what she was able to pull off to get what she wanted. Maybe she would try to convince him again, or maybe she would try more... decisive ways. She wouldn't go as far as to harm him, would she? Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if she did. But did it mean that from now on, he'd have to watch his back constantly for fear of something unfortunate to happen? Yuri shook off the flow of questions.

No way. But he would have to be cautious.

This was not the best way to begin the day, he reckoned, and his foul mood stayed for the whole day, even when Flynn went to find him after classes were over. The blonde boy immediately noticed that something was wrong with his boyfriend.

"What's the matter, Yuri?" he asked as they were making their way to the school gates.

"Hm? Nothing, why do you ask?" Yuri replied, knowing that he was failing hard at hiding his feelings.

"Yuri, it's written all over your face. Do you think I wouldn't notice?"

"It's nothing, really. I guess I just got up on the wrong side of the bed." But then he felt the heavy look Flynn gave him and sighed. He had sworn not to hide anything important from Flynn, hadn't he? And the matter on his mind right now belonged to the 'important' category. "Your mother... I met her today." he said slowly.

Flynn's reaction was as expected. He stopped walking and frowned, but before he had the time to say anything, Yuri went on gloomily: "More exactly, she came to find me while I was going to school." He paused.

"What did she want?" Flynn urged him.

"She... offered me money in exchange for not seeing you anymore. I refused, of course." Yuri added hastily. "But... I was thinking that for now, we should be more careful and try not to stay together when everyone can see us. For example, we shouldn't be going home together. I guess I'm not wrong if I assume your mother has someone to keep watch on me?"

Flynn didn't reply at once. Instead, his clenched fists were slightly shaking and his face displayed nothing but repressed fury. "How dare she..." he whispered angrily before staring straight at Yuri. "You listen to me." he said, containing his trembling voice. "If she ever shows up again, no matter what she says, no matter what she offers, don't _ever_ accept."

"Of course I'll never–"

"And no matter what kind of threat she pulls on you, don't ever yield." Flynn finished, dead serious.

That silenced Yuri for a second before he crossed his arms and frowned. "So you really think she could go so far as to threaten me." he stated. "Just what kind of mother is she?"

"She's just a selfish woman who thinks money allows her to do whatever she wants. But more importantly, did she tell you why exactly she doesn't want us to see each other?" Flynn inquired.

"I don't think she knows about us, if that's what you were implying." Yuri replied pensively. "I mean, the only thing she told me is that I'm not good for your image since I'm not from some wealthy and powerful lineage. Well, she didn't put it like that, but it was basically what she meant."

Flynn allowed himself to relax a bit. "Alright. However, I think you're right on one point. For now, it's best if we aren't seen together too often outside school. I doubt my mother have someone inside the university facilities to watch us though, so we can assume it's safe there."

"I don't want to see you just during school hours." Yuri said stubbornly, eliciting a chuckle from the other boy.

"I didn't say that. I'll see what I can do about my mother." His tone turned serious again. "She can't expect to rule my life eternally."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know yet, but I'll find something." Flynn replied with determination.

"There must be a way we can still see each other without their noticing." Yuri insisted. "Outside school, I mean."

The blonde boy seemed to be thinking; a faint crease appeared between his eyebrows. "I don't know. If she already went so far as to offer you money, it's safe to assume she will keep a very close eye on you. I'm not sure we should risk that."

Yuri didn't look pleased at all. "I hate that woman." he muttered. "Even if she's your mother. I don't understand how a parent can think they've full authority over their son's life."

"Please bear with it. For now." Flynn gave a gentle stroke on Yuri's shoulder. There were too many students around them for him to dare do anything else, even though the only thing he wanted to do at the moment was to hug him and kiss him. "I promise you I'll find something quickly." he added, even though he had no idea how he was going to fulfil his promise.

"So for now it means we have to stop going to each other's place?" Yuri asked rather sullenly.

"I fear so." Flynn nodded with a resigned smile.

"Damn, I can't do anything to you while we're at school, but now I can't even do what I want outside school? I'm not sure I like the sound of it."

"Be patient, Yuri." Flynn repeated. "I'll try to settle this as quickly as possible."

"You'd better, because I won't hold for long."

Again, Flynn nodded. If his mother wanted war, then she'd get it.

* * *

><p>Pia coughed again behind her mask. This cold was getting seriously annoying, and the medicine the doctor had given her didn't seem to be any efficient. Her temperature wasn't too high, but neither was it normal, and it had been days and days since she had started being sick. She put down the pen she was holding on the desk and pinched the bridge of her nose. When the other employees were urging her not to overdo the paperwork, she simply replied that the orphanage wasn't going to run by itself.<p>

"Mama! I made you tea with honey!" a seven-year old girl came running in her office – the door was always open – with a steaming cup in her hands.

"How many times must I tell you not to run with a tea cup in your hands?" Pia scolded the girl, though her tone was weary because of her tiredness. "It could be dangerous if you spilled some on yourself."

The girl stopped in front of the desk and lowered her head, still holding the cup. "I'm sorry, Mama." she said timidly.

"It's fine, but don't do it again, OK?" Pia said in a gentler tone, and with a smile. "Can you put the cup on my desk? Thank you dear." she added as the girl complied happily.

"You'll get better if you drink that, won't you? And then you'll be able to remove that mask soon, right?" the latter asked with a hopeful tone.

"Certainly, especially if you were the one who made the tea."

"I did!" the girl exclaimed with a broad grin.

"In that case, my cold will be gone in no time." Pia replied as she stood up and patted the girl's head. "You may leave now. Go play with the others until dinner."

"I will!" the girl said excitedly before leaving the office.

When Pia was sure the footsteps were far enough in the corridor, she grabbed the cup and dropped herself on the small couch next to the desk with a loud sigh. She coughed again, louder this time. The sweet aroma of verbena reached her nose and the first sip of the warm beverage immediately eased her sore throat. She knew it wasn't going to last long though. But at least it soothed her for a little while.

Even Judith hadn't been of much help to her. She had only been able to give her basic advice such as dressing warmly and drinking a lot of tea, and wearing a mask in order not to contaminate other people. But after a week, when the nurse had seen no progress in her state, she had tried to conceal her concern; Pia wasn't stupid though. But for now she was still convinced that it was just a rather strong cold, maybe some persistent flu according to the doctor. Apparently he had a few other patients in the same state as her, and had tried to reassure her by telling her that a vaccine would certainly soon be distributed, as laboratories were working on it.

_'I will get better soon.'_ she thought as she took another sip. _'I have to.'_ The last thing the children needed was a sick mother.

* * *

><p>"<em>Another trial was held today, and to no one's surprise, the guilty sentence was given only after three hours. The duo Dinoia-Sidos struck again and now we can wonder whether there will be any criminal left to judge within the next few months. Another important piece of news today is the demonstration of farmers in–"<em>

Rita pressed the button of the remote to turn off the television. "Seems like Estelle's father still has his hands full." she commented.

"She told us so, yeah." Yuri replied, his back leant against the wall of the hospital room. "I'm not sure I'm actually happy about all these alleged criminals being sent to prison like that."

"Why not?" Karol inquired. "It's rather cool that there's actually someone to do some cleaning here. Even if that Alexei guy is a bastard." he added hastily as Yuri gave him a dark look.

"Anything that has something to do with that man can't be good." the long-haired boy said. "And seriously, even though I don't know much about law, I know at least that you normally don't hold three trials a day for crimes."

"It feels like they're rushed." Rita added. "I agree with you, it looks too good to be... well, good. What's Estelle's opinion on it?"

Yuri shrugged. "Alexei's her godfather, so she thinks he's a great man. And since the prosecutor is her father, she can't really say they're doing a bad job."

"I wonder if her father knows about Alexei." the brunette said pensively.

"I don't know the man, and I'd rather not say anything about him. For Estelle's sake." Yuri replied.

"It's good she isn't here today with us." Karol sighed. "She wouldn't be so happy to hear us criticize her family like that. And by the way, why didn't Flynn come today? I heard he left the fencing club, so he should have had time to come, right?"

"He left the fencing club _because_ he doesn't have time for it anymore. Same for the orchestra." Yuri replied. "He's got work to do."

"What exactly is he doing?"

Again, Yuri shrugged. "Some projects. Don't ask me for details, I have no ideas. He just told me he'd be busy today."

"He works way too much." Karol shook his head. "And in the meantime, we have a slacker lazying all day long in her bed until god knows when." he turned to Rita, a grin plastered on his face. The next second, the very same face found itself colliding with a pillow. Hard.

"I'll be out in a week, the doctors said, after they make sure I can walk again without too much trouble. Though my hip still hurt when I tried to take a few steps yesterday." the girl winced at the memory.

"Take it easy. We don't want you to go back to the hospital because you broke a leg while trying to walk with a broken hip. Pia will start getting tired of paying for your hospital fees." Yuri teased her. Rita stuck out her tongue to him.

"By the way, how is she?" she changed the topic.

"Still no good." Karol shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Yuri inquired at once, frowning.

"You don't know? She's had that cold for almost two weeks now, and it doesn't seem to get any better." the younger boy replied.

Now that sounded strange. "What did the doctor say?"

"He gave her medicine and stuff, but it doesn't change anything. I think she has fever constantly."

"Seriously? For weeks?" Now this didn't sound normal at all, Yuri thought. Even though he wasn't an expert in the medical field, he knew that a cold never lasted that long.

And then the memory of a certain paper article came back to him. _'No way. It can't be that flu they're talking of.'_ he thought.

Rita gazed at him. Apparently she read his mind for it was with a grim tone that she spoke again:

"There were some other news earlier, before you came. And I heard some nurses around here talking about it too. It seems there's a new kind of flu that is spreading around, and so far no vaccine was found yet."

"Huh? Seriously?" Karol opened round eyes. "How is that even possible?"

"Don't ask me! I'm just repeating what I heard." Rita replied with annoyance.

"Well, they just said it's a sort of flu, but they didn't say anything about it being dangerous or anything."

"For now." Rita specified.

"Oh come on, if it's just flu, then it should be fine, right?" Karol tried to sound optimistic.

"We'll see." Yuri replied. "I guess I'll pay Pia a visit soon."

There was an unpleasant feeling stirring inside him, and he didn't like it at all.

* * *

><p>Flynn was drumming his fingers on his desk absent-mindedly, deep in thought. One could have thought he was working on his projects, but right now those were the last of his concerns. Right now, he was digging his mind to find a way to deal with his mother. Barely four days had elapsed since Yuri had told him about the meeting, and he hadn't imagined that he would already miss being with his boyfriend. They would meet between classes and during lunch, but the fact that they had to restrain themselves was starting to torture him. He missed touching Yuri, he missed kissing him, he missed the feeling of the silky hair between his fingers, he missed the contact of his warm skin on his, he missed the nights they spent together.<p>

He had to find a solution, and quickly. There had to be a means to prevent his mother from interfering, but unfortunately for him, that means didn't seem keen on presenting itself to him. What worried him the most was that he knew that his mother could use quite underhanded methods to achieve her goals, and Flynn wasn't able to do anything against that. For now he was only the heir of the Scifo family, who didn't actually own anything yet, legally speaking. At some point he had thought of threatening her mother to give up his rights to inheritance; as he was the only child of the family, it would make his parents think twice before getting in his way. However he knew that if necessary, his mother could choose to bequeath the heirloom to some second degree relatives, even if she had never hidden her reluctance to do so.

No, he needed another kind of leverage.

His phone rang. The name that was displayed on the screen made him smile.

"Good evening, Yuri." he said as he picked up the call. "What's going on?"

"_Nothing. I can't see you outside school, but I can at least call you so I figured that's what I'd do. For lack of anything better, I can do with your voice."_

"I'm sorry it has to come to this." Flynn replied apologetically. "I'm still trying to figure out how to keep my parents out of my business, but it's not quite easy." He sighed. "Unless we decide to suddenly vanish from this place and go into hiding somewhere far away."

"_Doesn't sound bad to me."_

The blonde boy chuckled. "I think there are more realistic solutions."

"_Actually... I may have a suggestion but you may not like it."_

Now Flynn was curious. "Tell me anyway."

"_Well, I don't really know your mom or anything,"_ Yuri started cautiously,_ "But there has to be something about her you could use against her. No one's perfect and – sorry to say this – I definitely doubt she doesn't have anything to hide. I know it sounds like–"_

"Blackmail." Flynn finished for him, and strangely enough, he wasn't that surprised by the suggestion.

"_I didn't want to put it bluntly like that, but yeah, something like that. Though it only works if you actually have something against her. And somehow I don't imagine you blackmailing anyone, let alone your parents. Oh, forget it. That was a stupid idea."_

"Yuri."

"_Yeah?"_

"I'll to talk to her first. I'll talk to my father too, maybe he'll be able to convince her better than me. But if talking doesn't work, then perhaps I'll consider your solution." Flynn said very seriously.

On the other end of the line, Yuri seemed suddenly hesitant. _"...Are you sure? Honestly I wasn't really thinking when I said that so... I mean, it's your mother we're talking about. I know I wouldn't want to blackmail Pia."_

"Pia hasn't tried to bribe me into not seeing you anymore."

"_She wouldn't have the money for, anyway."_ Yuri made an attempt at joking.

"Yuri, listen. Spending time with you made me realize something. I think... if I want to face my mother, I must not hesitate to use any tricks at my disposal. That perspective doesn't rejoice me more than it does you, but if she persists then I'll be left with no choice."

"_But do you even have anything against her?"_ Yuri insisted.

"I'll find something. You said so yourself, everyone has something to hide."

"_Even you? Now that's something I can't believe."_

"Who knows?" Flynn said with a smile. "Now, how about we stop talking about my mother for a while? It would be sad if she were to be our only topic of conversation here."

"_Agreed."_ Yuri laughed.

They talked until late evening, before Yuri decided it was time for him to get some food. Still, it barely made up for the fact that they couldn't spend the night together.

Flynn really had to settle the matter quickly.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
><strong>

**A/N: Ole! Another chapter done! And no, I'm not in a Gyakuten Saiban period at all. Not at all. Maybe just a bit. Damn, it feels kind of weird to depict Flynn and Yuri as seke, but it's actually funny since I usually put them as seme and uke respectively. We've entered the next-to-last arc of the story (finally...) and next chapter will mark the one year anniversary of the fic O_O  
><strong>


	32. February 1st to 17th

**February 1st to 17th **

"...and this will finish today's lecture. Don't forget your assignments for next week."

Yuri shoved his stuff in his bag with a silent sigh of relief. Since Raven had resigned, the lectures had somehow lost the little interest Yuri used to have for them, though he suspected that it was only him being biased as the other students seemed to be perfectly satisfied with the new lecturer. Nonetheless, the long-haired boy couldn't shake off the feeling that there were still some lose ends left somewhere, no matter how hard he tried to reason himself and tell himself that his business with Raven was over. It bugged him daily, not really like an obsession – Yuri was definitely not _obsessive_ over his former teacher – but more like an annoying thought that sometimes teased the back of his mind.

He simply wanted to know. The excuse Raven had given him couldn't have fooled even the most idiotic person; he wanted to know what had prompted the man to leave so suddenly, what kind of relationship he had had with Yeager, his mentor, who that Casey was and what her connection to both men was. He simply wanted to understand.

That's why his steps were now leading him to the infirmary, where Judith was supposed to be on office duty for the day. Luckily he didn't have any class on the next period. He knocked at the door of the infirmary, waited for an answer and stepped inside. Judith had her back turned to him and seemed to be putting some documents in a cupboard. As she turned round, the fine nurse graced Yuri with a smile.

"Good morning, Yuri. What can I do for you?" she asked. "You don't look too sick."

"No, actually... I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about Rav–about Mr Schwann." Yuri corrected himself.

"Call him Raven, I'm sure no one here will mind." Judith replied, still smiling. "Why the sudden inquiry?"

"Well, I just can't help but think that his resignation feels somewhat... strange."

"Have you asked him directly?"

"Yeah I did. He just told me he's tired of the job. But I don't believe it's just that."

"Why not?" Judith put another file in the cupboard.

"I don't know, I just think that it's strange." Yuri repeated, partly annoyed that he couldn't express himself better. "So I was wondering if you could enlighten me a bit."

"Why do you want to know?" Her tone was still light as she spoke, but Yuri had the feeling that if he didn't give her a satisfying answer, he may as well leave. So he told the truth.

"Two reasons. One, I'm actually kind of concerned for him." he said with some reluctance. He scowled when Judith chuckled at the answer. "Two, he has something to do with Yeager, and I want to know what. I want to know what drove the man who took me under his wing for three years to lower himself to make deals with the likes of Alexei." he added.

The answer seemed to have some effect. Judith paused for a few seconds before sighing and motioning to Yuri to take a seat while she went back to her desk.

"Well, Raven didn't tell me I couldn't tell anyone." she said as a preamble as she sat down. "So, is there anything specific you'd like to know?"

"What was Yeager's relationship to Raven?" Yuri asked immediately.

"You could call them childhood friends." Judith replied, choosing her words carefully. "They entered the same police school and were affected to the same unit."

Yuri opened wide eyes. He had suspected that Raven had something to do with the police, but he had no idea about Yeager. Never once had he ever mentioned a single word that could have hinted at that. "Why did they leave?"

Judith smiled again, but this time the smile reflected nothing but sadness. "You must have heard the name 'Casey' before, correct?"

Yuri nodded. And Judith told him. She told him about the three who had worked together in the same unit, the engagement, the soon-to-come wedding, and the fated mission. She didn't lingered on the details, neither mentioning Raven's feelings for Casey nor his artificial heart. She did however mention Alexei saving his and Yeager's lives, putting both men in his debt.

"And he used Casey to manipulate Yeager." Yuri said between gritted teeth. A surge of disgust and anger seized him. Everything fitted into place. If Casey was Yeager's fiancée, then Yuri could only understand that he would do anything to get her back. However, all his efforts had been for naught, as Alexei's deal had rested on a big lie.

And Yeager had died for that lie.

"That's why you can't really blame Raven for being tired of all this." Judith went on. "Yuri, I know you want Alexei to pay for what he's done, and you're not the only one. I'm sure you won't have any trouble believing me when I say that Raven is the one who wants it the most, but you have to understand that–"

"I know, that guy's out of my reach." Yuri cut her in sullenly. "Don't worry, as much as I imagine strangling him in my head, I'm not stupid enough to actually try to do it."

Judith nodded. "Good. Well, is there something else you'd like to know?"

"Actually... yeah." Yuri hesitated for a second before he went on: "Casey, her grave... Where is it?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "You'd like to visit?"

"She was Yeager's fiancée. I'd like to know at least where she rests. I know it's pretty pointless but..."

"I understand." Judith smiled. "But unfortunately I don't know where she rests. However, you had a close relationship to Yeager. I'm sure Raven won't mind telling you if you ask him."

"I will. By the way, what is he doing now?"

For the first time, Judith actually looked troubled. "To be honest, I don't really know. I think he's spending most of his time at home, but the few times I went to visit, he wouldn't answer. And the Don confirmed that he hasn't come to the lower quarters either. He does answer his phone, though. Provided that you insist a bit."

Yuri didn't like the ring of it at all. "Can't you do anything to get him to go out a bit? This behaviour of his doesn't sound healthy at all."

"I think you worry too much." Judith replied truthfully. "He needs some time alone. You don't overcome the loss of your childhood friend within two weeks. Nor do you recover so easily from old wounds that reopened either. And he actually goes out from time to time for a drink with me, if that can reassure you." she added, smiling again.

"If you say so." Yuri replied, half-convinced. "Then I guess I won't bother you any longer." he added as he stood up. "Thanks for your time, and for telling me about Raven."

"It was my pleasure." After a second of hesitation, she added: "Thank you for worrying about him."

Yuri gave a short nod as he exited the infirmary.

* * *

><p>Karol stretched his arms with a loud yawn and almost walked into another student who was coming from the other direction.<p>

"Don't fall asleep while walking, Karol. I won't pick you up." Yuri teased him.

"What? You'd leave me here, to die in this insanely cold snow? That's cruel!"

"What snow? It's almost all melted." Yuri retorted.

"Still, that wouldn't be really nice." The younger boy yawned again. "Oh damn, I'm glad the day is over. I really could use some sleep now." Then on a grumpier tone, he added: "Though once I come back I have to help Pia prepare dinner."

"How is she by the way?"

"Oh... Not worse, but not better either." Karol replied with not much enthusiasm in his voice. "She's been pretty tired and doesn't stop coughing."

"And the doctor still hasn't found the cause of it?" Yuri inquired, frowning.

"No. You know... they've been talking about this on the news. That new virus or something..."

"I heard of that." Yuri nodded. "But they said it's just some sort of persistent flu, isn't it? Like, no one actually _died_ of that, right?"

"You haven't been following the news?" Karol asked back, and by now his usual cheerfulness had completely vanished. "Some people were hospitalized because of that."

Yuri turned abruptly to Karol in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, it's been on the news for a week. There are more cases every day."

"I don't really follow the news..." Yuri admitted grimly. "What do they say about it?"

"I don't really know. I just watched the TV a bit, but basically no one knows exactly what kind of virus it is and how it acts, so they can't find an efficient treatment. They said most patients are female, but there were several diagnoses on male ones too. And those who are at the hospital end up losing consciousness, and then they have really high fever and have respiratory issues." Karol enumerated. "They say it can get pretty bad."

"Does Pia know about that?"

"She doesn't say anything, but I'd be surprised if she didn't know. She's been more worried about us than herself though." Karol replied. "No matter how many times I tell her to take care of herself first. And she's been avoiding staying in the same place as us now, unless it's very necessary. She's afraid she might contaminate all of us."

"That doesn't surprise me. And now I understand better why she won't let me come to the orphanage." Yuri let out a frustrated sigh.

"Phone her." Karol advised. "She'll be happy to hear you. Anyway, I must run to catch my bus." he added as both boys reached the school's gates. "See you tomorrow!" he waved.

Yuri waved back, though without much conviction. He pulled his scarf over his mouth and nose, and shoved both his hands in his coat's pockets before heading back home. On the way, he tried in vain not to let too dark thoughts occupy his mind.

He was getting tired of having to worry about more and more people.

* * *

><p>Flynn closed the video he was watching on his computer and leant his back against the chair with a soft sigh. He didn't like what he was doing at all, but his mother had left him with no choice. The attempts at talking some sense into her had – unsurprisingly – resulted in failures. Therefore Flynn had been left with the one thing he had wanted to avoid doing the most. For now there weren't any results yet, but it was only the beginning, and sooner or later, something would come up. Something <em>had<em> to come up. For his and Yuri's sake.

It wasn't as if they couldn't see each other at all since they were still meeting for lunch, but it was all the more frustrating as they had to refrain from doing anything while in presence of the other students. To Flynn, having Yuri at hand's reach and yet being denied the right to touch him, to kiss him or even to simply stroke his hair was no different from the punishment of Tantalus.

Oh, there had been a few stolen kisses at the corner of the corridors, but such quick pecks were far from being fulfilling and only served to torture Flynn a bit more and make him long for Yuri a bit more. Sometimes, his progressive addiction to Yuri frightened him. He, Flynn Scifo, model student in every aspect of his life, was slowly losing his mind over a boy whom he would have never even talked to if it hadn't been for a certain project at the beginning of the year.

And because of that very same boy, Flynn was now spying his own mother.

How lovely.

An eye for an eye, they said. She most certainly had someone tailing Yuri and himself, therefore it was only fair if he did the same, wasn't it? Except that Flynn had pushed it a bit further. It hadn't been too difficult to hide that camera in his mother's office the last time he had come to talk to her. Every evening, he skimmed through the videos but so far, no suspicious activity had been recorded. His mother's routine was so uneventful that he often wondered how she could stand it. Her days all followed the same pattern: arrival at her office at 8 sharp, coffee, then work which mainly consisted in spending time on her computer and on the phone. Several times a week she would leave her office for a few hours for meetings, and then come back and work again until 7.

If his parents were to find out about what he was doing, he wasn't certain he would live long enough to talk about it. But his mother was too busy to bother about him, and his father was on a business trip. He was always on a business trip anyway, and hardly ever home.

Still, Flynn only hoped to be done as quickly as possible with that, for no matter what, spying on his own mother left him unpleasantly uneasy.

_'But it's for both Yuri's and my sake.'_ he kept telling himself.

* * *

><p>February 6th was a Monday, and it was Rita's first day back at school, as the hospital had finally released her on the previous day. It was also Flynn's birthday.<p>

As a consequence, the usual group of friends had decided to skip the afternoon classes – even Flynn had agreed to it quite easily, much to everyone's surprise – and find a place to eat the cake that Estelle was carrying. Karol had suggested going to the Square 9 again, but both Flynn and Yuri had insisted that they stayed within the university grounds.

"That'll spare our dear Rita some exhausting walk." Yuri had sneered, to which the brunette had snapped that she wasn't crippled, even if she was walking with a clutch.

After spending several minutes deliberating on where to go, the small group finally opted for the common room in the students building. Yuri had never set foot there, and he found out that it was actually a large hall with tables, chairs, even armchairs and couches, a TV, some baby-foot tables and ping-pong tables, and a bar held by the students themselves, selling various snacks and drinks. Background music vibrated from the big speakers in the corners of the hall.

And it was filled with rather noisy students. Normally, Yuri would have run away from such a place, but today, the buzz and the noise were giving a pretty good atmosphere, as if to fit the celebrating mood the small group was in. They managed to find free seats on couches around a small table and settled themselves without waiting any further. Of course Flynn and Yuri sat next to each other, though they were careful not to be too close.

"The cake! The cake!" Karol exclaimed as soon as he was seated.

"Right away!" Estelle laughed as she put a big box on the table. She was about to open it when Yuri interrupted her:

"Your stomach will wait, Karol. First, the presents." he said as he opened his bag.

"Damn, can't we do that after?" the other boy pouted. "I'm hungry!"

"You're just a glutton." Rita snapped back. "And we'll have the cake after the presents."

"That's mean!" Karol complained, much to Estellise's amusement.

"But she is right. We should give Flynn his presents first and savour the cake after." she said.

"You didn't have to–" Flynn started speaking with faint embarrassment, but the pink-haired girl cut him off with an elegant shake of her head:

"Don't protest, Flynn. Everyone should receive presents for their birthdays, and you are no exception. Here is mine!" she said happily as she handed him a small box wrapped in pale blue.

"And mine." Karol resigned himself, also handing Flynn a box.

"And mine." Yuri added with a smile.

"And mine." Rita finished.

"Even you, Rita?" Flynn raised surprised eyebrows.

"Hey, what do you think? It's not because I'm currently handicapped that I don't think about birthdays." the girl smirked.

The blonde boy looked at the pile of presents that was now in his hands, both confused and speechless, though visibly happy. Yuri couldn't help but smile at the sight. Well, Flynn's reaction was quite understandable in a way, as he was obviously not used to receiving so much attention for his birthday. At that moment he only wanted to lean over and lay a kiss on his cheek while telling him how adorable he looked. He mentally thanked the gods for his self-control.

"What are you waiting for?" the long-haired male asked instead. "Open them."

"Yeah, yeah! Hurry up and open them! And then we can eat the cake!" Karol added with excitement.

Flynn didn't make his friends wait any longer and started ripping off the wrappings of each of his presents. Estellise's and Rita's presents left him dubious: they were books, entitled _The 1001 ways to get a guilty verdict_ and _200 funny experiments to blow up your house_, respectively. The block of rosin for violin he received from Karol was much more to his taste.

He opened Yuri's present last. It was a small, black cylindrical box with 'Pandora' written in silver on the side. Flynn tilted his head, curious.

"Will I release all kinds of diseases and misfortunes if I open it?" he asked jokingly.

"Who knows. Try and you'll see." Yuri replied, a smile on the corner of his lips.

Flynn complied and opened the box. He blinked in surprise at the content. The inside was covered with scarlet velvet and in the middle rested a thin cord wrapped triply, made of braided black leather and closed by an elegantly chiselled silver clasp. Threaded on the cord was a single pearl. It was a small, squarish and silver flat pearl, and in the middle was an even smaller spot of what looked like turquoise.

Flynn picked up the bracelet – for it was most certainly what it was – delicately, staring at it in honest surprise. Words were failing him. It wasn't a fancy item at all, yet the light design and the simplicity of the ornament made it look much classier than many other pieces of jewellery. The girls were also gazing at it with round eyes and Karol whistled in admiration.

"Wow Yuri! That's pretty cool! I didn't know guys could wear such cool bracelets!" he exclaimed.

"Yuri..." Flynn finally spoke. "It's really beautiful..."

"Glad you like it." the long-haired boy merely replied, though he looked quite satisfied of himself. "Put it on."

"I heard of those." Estelle said with a nod as Flynn put on the bracelet. "The principle is that you make your own bracelet with charms that other people will give you. It's one of the latest trends."

"Charms?" Rita cocked an eyebrow.

"The small pearl you see here is actually called a charm." the other girl explained. "There are hundreds of different ones, and they all have various meanings to it."

"Sounds rather complicated." Karol noted. "But damn, Yuri! That must have cost you a lot!"

Yuri shrugged. "It was cheaper than the perfume I bought Pia, that's for sure." he replied. Then he turned to Flynn again. "Anyway, the seller told me turquoise is supposed to keep you away from harm, and she also blabbered something about it keeping your mind clear and helping you make good decisions and whatnot. I didn't really bother listening. Well, to be honest I just picked that colour because it matches your eyes."

"How romantic." Rita sneered. Estelle chuckled.

Flynn smiled. At that instant, his gaze crossed Yuri's and the affection he read in it made his heart fail a beat. Beyond the casualness of his tone, Flynn easily guessed the deep care Yuri had put in choosing that present; picking a stone that was supposed to protect him from harm wasn't deliberate, he knew it, and it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The only thing he wanted to do right now was to hug Yuri and thank him with a kiss. The temptation was great and he had to struggle to refrain from doing anything stupid.

Apparently Yuri noticed the intensity with which Flynn was looking at him for he gave a small cough of embarrassment and turned away. His fingers accidentally brushed Flynn's in the movement. The mere touch was enough to make Flynn's last string of restrain snap.

It happened too quickly for Yuri, and before he even realized it, Flynn's hand was on his cheek, and Flynn's lips were on his lips. And even though it wasn't a deep kiss, it couldn't be called a quick peck either. His eyes widened but by the time he finally registered what was going on, Flynn had already pulled back and was smiling softly at him, completely oblivious of the gasps that Estellise and Karol had let out. Rita seemed to be the only one who managed to keep a cool figure, even though she clearly hadn't expected the sudden gesture.

Yuri stared at his boyfriend, startled.

"F-Flynn! What the..."

"Thank you for the present, Yuri." Flynn merely replied as if they were all alone.

"You're most welcome but–"

"I figured that on my birthday, I should be allowed a small whim." the blonde boy went on, still very calm.

"Yeah but you're the one who keeps saying that we should be careful, especially when there are plenty of people around us!"

"I'm sure no one paid any particular attention to us. And even if they did, I don't care."

Yuri couldn't find anything to retort, still not believing that Flynn had actually _kissed_ him with everyone around. Not so long ago, that would have been out of the question. He actually didn't mind it at all – hell, he was the first one not to give a damn about being in public – but it had simply taken him off guard. So he merely gaped at the other boy, not quite sure how he was supposed to react.

It was Karol who spoke first amidst the awkward situation. "Damn, I knew you were together, but that's actually the first time I see you... well, proving it?" he noted, blinking as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"I'm sorry for the sudden display." Flynn said apologetically.

"No no, that's fine!" the younger boy replied hastily. "I mean... it's normal that you do that kind of stuff and all..."

"Oh come on, how about we stop making a fuss about this?" Rita interrupted with clear annoyance in her tone. "They're together, that's no big news. And as Flynn said, it's his birthday so let him do a bit what he wants for once. It's actually nice to see you're not as stuck-up as what everybody says." she addressed Flynn with a sneer.

"I-I didn't know..." a timid voice rose. All turned to Estelle who was fidgeting with her fingers, her cheeks red as tomatoes.

"Oops, that's true." Rita nodded before patting her on the shoulder. "Well, now you do." Then she turned to the boys with a scolding face: "And _you_, apologize for shocking her like that." she said severely.

"Hey, hey, he's already said he's sorry." Yuri retorted. "And it's not like we did something wrong. Even if I have to admit I didn't expect this one from you." he added with a smirk to Flynn's attention.

"I guess I just didn't think before acting." The blonde boy was now looking rather embarrassed, but Karol gave him a strong pat on the back.

"Don't worry about it!" he said cheerfully. "At least I'm reassured that you can actually loosen up when you want to!"

All the others laughed at the remark, and even Flynn allowed himself to chuckle.

"Well, now that we're completely busted, I guess it won't make much difference if I do this." Yuri said as sole warning before taking his revenge and claiming Flynn's lips. This time however, the kiss was quite more demanding. He ignored Flynn's muffled protests and Rita's snort; though when he started hearing a few students whistle, he actually pulled back, looking quite satisfied with himself.

A quick glance around him showed him some male students whom he had never seen before – it wasn't a small university, after all – pointing their thumbs up and some female students looking at both him and Flynn with an obvious glint of excitement in their eyes. They didn't linger though, and it was only a matter of a few seconds before everyone resumed their own activities. It wasn't that much a big deal in that university, after all.

Needless to say, Flynn was trying to make himself as discreet as possible.

"Well, you said it yourself. Who cares if we're seen?" Yuri stated with a smug face. "Plus, it's your birthday."

The blonde boy looked like he wanted to retort, but as no valid argument came to him, he merely sighed with a resigned shake of his head. "I suppose you have a point here." he said with a smile. "I was the one who started it after all."

"And now if you don't mind, how about you stop being all lovey-dovey and we start eating that cake?" Rita suggested, not without a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Yeah, the cake!" Karol immediately followed after her.

"Yes, now that Flynn received all his presents, we can cut the cake!" Estellise joined in. "I didn't bring candles though..."

"Who needs candles anyway? And woah, was it made by your friend again?" Karol asked, already drooling at the sight of the lemon meringue pie.

But the girl shook her head and turned to Yuri with a smile. "This time, you'll have to thank Yuri here for the cake." she said. "Though I did ask my friend to prepare the box."

"Awesome! Damn, Yuri, you never baked anything like that for my birthdays!" Karol exclaimed.

"Hey, it was a tradition to let Pia bake them." Yuri defended himself. "And since I was too lazy to prepare a full meal for all of you, I just stuck to the cake."

"Thank you, Yuri." Flynn said with a broad smile.

Inwardly, he was printing each and every second of that afternoon in his memory, feeling incredibly happy for the luck he had. He had friends who were actually offering him his first real birthday celebration, friends who had gave him presents that had more value to him than any amount of money he could receive from his parents, and friends who accepted his relationship with Yuri and even supported it. And it was thanks to Yuri that he was able to have such friends.

_'Thank you, everyone.'_

* * *

><p>The sun had set for an hour when Flynn reached his place. This year, fortunately, his mother had 'several other matters to deal with' and therefore didn't have any time to spare to organize a fancy dinner for his birthday. Not that it displeased him; somehow, Flynn had a hunch that the dinner would have actually spoiled the excellent day he had spent with his friends. She had left a message on her phone though, wishing him curtly a happy birthday. His father had also sent his wishes, as well as a present that had been delivered at his place. It was a scarlet silk tie, handmade and which his father had bought during his business trip. A card had been attached to the present, and the few words written on it had managed to make Flynn smile.<p>

_Happy birthday, Flynn. Too bad I'm not at home to celebrate it with you and your mother. Knowing her, I'm quite certain she doesn't mind either. I will be back in roughly two weeks. By then, keep working hard for your future._

Well, the last sentence did make him grimace a bit. Though he wasn't as insistent as his mother, Flynn's father still took it for granted that their son couldn't do anything else but inherit the family business; quite sadly, Flynn was certain that the lack of insistence was mainly due to the fact that they barely saw each other. He could hardly remember any actual conversation beside the speeches and the lessons he had received about his studies and his future.

As he sat down on his bed with a sigh, his thoughts drifted away to less depressing topics and led him to Yuri. Raising his right hand in front of him, he gazed at the three stripes of leather wrapped around his wrist and at the single pearl in the middle. A charm, huh? He couldn't help but smile. If only.

How he wished Yuri was there now, with him. How he wished they could have dinner together, just the two of them, a dinner made by his boyfriend and which he would enjoy to the last bit. And then they would have spent the evening watching the TV, and then Yuri would have pretended to fall asleep, they would have left to Flynn's room, and tonight Flynn's bed would have been less empty.

The blonde boy shook his head. He wasn't going to complain. Today had been a great day, he couldn't have asked for more.

His phone rang. Grabbing it, he read Sodia's name on the screen. Hesitation painted on his face. He wasn't sure whether to be apprehensive or not, but tried his luck anyway.

"Good evening, Sodia." he said as politely as he could.

"_Hello Flynn. I'd like to wish you a happy birthday."_ the girl greeted.

"Oh, thank you. I'm surprised you know of it."

"_Your mother told me."_

"Oh." was all that Flynn could answer. It seemed like his mother hadn't given up on Sodia yet, and still, there was something in Sodia's tone that didn't sound quite right. As if she wasn't particularly pleased herself.

"_Flynn, I know that today may not be the best day to talk about it, but I reckoned that you may want to hear about it anyway."_ she went on, her voice reflecting nothing but seriousness.

"What is it?" Flynn asked, now starting to get suspicious.

"_Your mother... Well, mine too actually. They were still believing that we were to be engaged."_ she paused. _"So I told them clearly that I didn't want to anymore."_

"You did?" Flynn raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"_Yes. Flynn, what I wished for was a relationship which we both wanted. I don't need a forced relationship, based solely on our families' interests."_ She sounded slightly hesitant as she spoke, and Flynn didn't interrupt her. _"I... made a mistake when I tried to harm your friend, and even now I'm still regretting it."_

"It belongs to the past now." Flynn replied, uncertain of where she was going.

"_Still. I have been thinking of ways to make myself forgiven and today I think I can finally do something. It's not much but I really think you ought to know. It's about your mother."_

Flynn stiffened. "I'm listening."

"_Your mother came to our offices today, to meet with my father. But since he was in the middle of a meeting, I kept her company for a little while. Well, we talked about you a bit, but also about... Yuri. At first I didn't find it strange, but when she started asking several questions about him, I began having doubts. I know this may sound completely stupid to you,"_ she added hastily, _"but I've never imagined your mother to be so concerned about other people."_

Flynn was frowning deeply. This didn't sound good at all. "What did you talk about?" he inquired.

"_Mainly about his occupation, his family and things like that."_

"What exactly did you tell her?" Flynn urged Sodia.

"_Well... not much. Just that he works part-time at a pub, and he has friends living in an orphanage. I didn't mention anything about... well, my research on him."_

Flynn let out a mental sigh of relief. "That's good. Thanks for not saying anything."

"_Flynn, no matter what, I still like you. And if Yuri is your friend, then I won't do anything that will cause him any harm. Not anymore."_ Sodia declared with a small voice.

"I-I appreciate it." Flynn replied. He didn't add anything else for fear of entering a delicate field.

"_Well, I think I won't bother you any longer."_ Sodia spoke again, taking the hint._ "You have a birthday to enjoy, right? I'll talk to you later!"_

"Sodia, wait."

"_Yes?"_

"Thank you again."

If they had been face to face, Flynn would have seen a bright smile on the girl's face. _"You're welcome, Flynn."_

Inwardly, Flynn was truly relieved to have Sodia on his side. His mother was already enough to deal with, he really didn't need anyone else to interfere with his life. Or Yuri's.

* * *

><p>The coming week saw everyone much more relaxed at school, especially Flynn and Yuri as they had decided to stop concealing their relationship. However, they weren't displaying it exaggeratedly either. As a result, it wasn't impossible to see one stroking the other's hair affectionately, or drop a kiss on his cheek or even on the lips – though the latter was rarer. At least it was quite common to see them hand in hand.<p>

But that was at school. Outside, the problem remained, much to Yuri's displeasure. It had been almost three weeks since he last spent some real time with Flynn, and this was starting to upset him quite a lot. On that day, as usual, he crossed the school's gates alone and headed for the Square 9. His shift started earlier today, and therefore he didn't have time to go back home first. While on his way, he couldn't help but wonder for the hundredth time whether Flynn was making any progress about his mother. He had asked the blonde boy a few times, but after receiving negative replies every time, he had stopped. The last thing he wanted was for Flynn to feel urged; he knew more than well that Flynn had already plenty to take care of, and he didn't need to be added more pressure as it was.

Still, it was upsetting.

What he didn't know was that in a few minutes, he'd have another reason to be even more upset. He barely saw the blow coming, even when his boss called for him at a table in the corner of the pub, looking rather uncomfortable.

The announcement came unexpected, and Yuri found himself blinking hard for several seconds, until his mouth finally decided to function again.

"Why?" he asked slowly. "I mean, why so suddenly? You could have informed me earlier so I could have started looking for another job."

"I know, Yuri, and I'm really sorry." his boss lowered his head, looking actually sorry. "I know it's sudden, but... some stuff happened and I'm kind of... forced to do this. I couldn't really lay off the others as they work full-time here and have been working here for years."

"While I started only a few months ago and I'm a part-timer, so you assumed that gives you every right to fire me just like that, without even a notice." Yuri snapped dryly. He saw the man fidget uneasily.

"It-It's not like that, Yuri. I'm really, really sorry. I'll pay you the full month as a compensation – I know it's not much but that's all I can do." he said as he produced a check from his pocket and put it on the table.

Yuri barely looked at it. "Am I at least allowed to know what happened?"

"Just some business troubles, as it happens to any business."

The explanation was hardly convincing, Yuri thought. There was no need to be an expert to see that the reason was too feeble to be true. The pub was working more than fine, and none of the other waiters had ever mentioned anything about a drop of turnover. Furthermore, if there were actually troubles, then firing one part-timer wasn't going to weight much.

"I really am sorry." the latter repeated, then with a smile that was supposed to be encouraging, he went on: "You have excellent cooking skills, I'm sure you'll be able to find something before the end of the month."

"Whatever." Yuri said, standing up abruptly from his chair. "I guess you won't see any problem if I leave right now then." he added as he picked up his coat and left the bar without even a glance, and without the check.

It wasn't very wise, but Yuri didn't care. Right now, he was busier fulminating against his boss – or former one – as he had never thought the man could have fired him just like that, with barely any reason. Well, at least he right on one point: with his skills, Yuri wouldn't have too much trouble finding a new job.

* * *

><p>"Yuri isn't here today?" Karol inquired as he sat down at the table of the cafeteria with the others.<p>

"He sent me a message telling me he had a few things to do today and wouldn't have time to come." Flynn replied.

"What kind of lame excuse is that?" Rita snorted in disdain. "If he's too lazy to go to school, he can just say so."

"Did he say what kind of things are keeping him busy?" Estelle asked, but Flynn shook his head.

"I asked him, but he just said not to worry about it."

"Now this sounds suspicious." Rita noted.

"I'll see if by the end of today I can get a clearer answer." the blonde boy said before turning to Estelle. "Can I borrow the newspaper?"

"Sure! Here you go." she handed him the paper.

The headlines were about the flu that was striking the entire country, and apparently, a bit everywhere else worldwide. With one hand, Flynn flipped through the pages quickly while eating with the other hand.

"You've been following the news quite closely lately." Estellise noticed.

"There has been a lot happening lately." Flynn replied as he kept turning the pages, until he reached the local news. Naturally, there was a black and white picture of Alexei, standing outside the police station and shaking a few hands. Next to him were two men Flynn had never seen; one was shaking hands as well, smiling, while the other was merely standing very close to Alexei with an impassive look on his face, his dark hair falling to shoulder level and one strand hiding the left part of his face. Curious about it, Flynn started reading the short article:

_When everybody believed that Alexei Dinoia couldn't do better to ensure the region's safety, the man still manages to surprise us. His collaboration with the justice department through Prosecutor Sidos Heurassein is well known and has proved its efficiency on multiple occasions; but it isn't enough, according to the chief of the national security forces. "Justice cannot be done through only two men's actions." he asserted. "It needs every man and every woman willing to rid the nation of crime. Right now I have the honour to be standing between two such men. Prosecutor Henry Sidos Heurassein here, and Captain Damuron Atomais here, who has just joined our ranks."_

_Little is known about the new captain, save for the fact that he has already worked as Dinoia's subordinate and is, still according to his superior, an outstanding man. With such a team, it can be wondered whether criminals will have any safe place to hide now._

Flynn's eyes landed on the picture again, and more particularly on the man called Damuron. He looked out of place with his stoic and almost brooding face, while Alexei and Estelle's father were smiling and shaking hands with people.

"Do you know him?" he asked Estellise, tapping the man's face on the picture.

"Hm? Ah no, actually I don't. My father didn't know him either when I asked him. Apparently he was at the police school, that's why we didn't hear of him."

Flynn had to content himself with that answer.

* * *

><p>Evening eventually came, and Yuri finally phoned him only to announce him that he had no more part-time job.<p>

"_That's why I didn't come to school today. I was looking for a new one."_

"What happened?" Flynn inquired, frowning. "I mean, they didn't just fire you like that without any reason, did they?"

"_Oh yes, they did."_ Irritation could clearly be heard in Yuri's tone. Flynn's frown deepened.

"But that's barely legal. Normally you are supposed to give you three-month notice, or–"

"_Well, he did tell me he's having some business troubles, but somehow he wasn't really convincing."_

"You can sue him." Flynn said firmly. "He has absolutely no right to do something like that." He heard Yuri force a laugh.

"_And you think I want to bother with suing him? That'd be too much a hassle, and I can't afford it anyway."_

"If it's money, I can–"

"_Flynn, stop it. It's not worth the trouble. I'll just find something else."_

The blonde bit his lower lip before replying: "Yuri... The offer I made you the other day... it still holds."

There was silence from Yuri's side, until he finally spoke again: _"I could come and live with you, is what you're saying? I think you're forgetting a tiny little detail."_

"If you're talking about my mother, then I'll do something about it. I've been thinking about it, but what could she do to you? I mean, I know she can use rather... questionable methods, but I'm pretty certain she wouldn't, let's say, hire someone to harm you physically."

"_I'd love to believe you, Flynn, but lately I've learnt to doubt a lot of people around me."_ Yuri replied a bit dryly.

"I understand how you feel, but–"

"_No, you don't." _Yuri interrupted him again._ "Listen, I've spent the whole morning and the beginning of the afternoon looking for another part-time job, and several restaurants were actually really interested and two even told me to come back tomorrow to discuss the pay and the working hours. Well guess what? All of them phoned me at the end of the day to tell me they'd changed their minds. Just like that, with no reason. Maybe I have extremely bad luck, but somehow I can't help but think there's something fishy."_

It didn't take Flynn more than half a second to understand the implicit accusation. He didn't even try to argue, as he knew that the probability for Yuri to be right was very high. It was also at that very instant that he remembered his discussion with Sodia. The girl had told him his mother had inquired about Yuri, about his occupation and about... his friends. Flynn's eyes opened wide in realization. Then he shook his head. No, she wouldn't dare do anything to his friends, would she? She wouldn't go as far as to target uninvolved people, right? Inwardly, doubts started stirring and he felt his pulse quicken. How far did his mother intend to go until she was satisfied? And more importantly, how could he stop her?

"_Flynn? You still here?"_

"My mother is putting pressure on you." Flynn let out flatly. "I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to force you to leave this city." For now, he deemed it unwise to add more concerns on Yuri's shoulders by mentioning that Rita and Karol may somehow be soon involved.

"_Like hell I will. Or... do you think she knows about us?"_

"I doubt it. If that was the case, then you wouldn't get away with simply being fired from your job." Flynn replied grimly. "And I would have heard about it too, don't worry about that."

"_How encouraging. Then what?"_

"I don't like admitting it, but this is getting pretty annoying. But Yuri, I swear I won't let you down on this, I definitely won't." Flynn added with as much conviction as he could.

"_I can cope with it on my own."_ Yuri said stubbornly._ "You don't have to feel obliged to–"_

"Yuri." Flynn cut him in curtly. "First, this is my mother we're talking about; so this has something to do with me as well. And second, you can't ask me to stand still while a stupid boy who happens to be the one I fell in love with is in trouble. Now you either accept my help or you tell me straight that you don't need me. In which case you are even more stupid than I thought."

There was silence, then: _"I don't _need_ you." _A sigh. _"I freaking _love_ you, you idiot. Try to learn the damn difference already."_

Flynn blinked several times, before shaking his head with a faint smile. "I don't see any difference, stupid."

"_Idiot."_

"Are we done calling each other names?"

"_Maybe."_ Yuri sighed again. Silence again. And then: _"I want to spend the night with you."_ he said out of the blue. It surprised Flynn, but not that much. It would be an utter lie to say he didn't want it as much as Yuri did. A knot formed in his stomach as a painful reminder of how much he missed nuzzling Yuri's neck and inhaling the sweet scent of his hair, letting his fingers trail on Yuri's skin and feeling the goosebumps under his touch, tasting Yuri's oh so desirable body and letting him taste his own in return...

Flynn shivered, but it wasn't of cold. "Come tomorrow evening." he said in a whisper, unable to resist.

"_Don't tempt me. You know I'll do it."_

"I know."

"_We could leave again for a weekend to that summer house you have."_

"She's keeping too close a watch on us, she'd know right away."

"_This is getting insane."_

"I know."

"_I'll come tomorrow."_

"Don't."

"_You told me to."_

"I wasn't thinking."

"_It's better when you don't think."_

Flynn sighed. "I'm serious, Yuri. You don't know what she may do to you."

"_I don't have much to lose, right now."_

_You do_, Flynn thought. _You have friends to lose._ "Not much isn't nothing. Yuri, listen. I promised you I'd find a way to solve this matter with my mother, and I plan to keep that promise. I'm just asking you to be patient."

"_That's not my forte."_

"Please bear with it a bit longer."

"_I don't have much choice, do I?"_

"I'm afraid not." Flynn replied. He smiled softly when he heard Yuri sigh on the other end of the line.

"_I'll comply then. And now I'll go sleep before I change my mind."_

Flynn chuckled. "Good night, Yuri."

"_Good night, idiot."_

As he hung up, a loud sigh escaped his lips. It was one thing to make promises, but keeping them was another whole matter. At the beginning he had thought that the best way to find out something about his mother would be to observe her at her workplace, yet now he was starting to doubt the results. There hadn't been the slightest hint of anything suspicious, not even the merest glimpse of some shady contracts or not-so-legal deals with other companies. There was maybe one tiny thing that could look faintly strange: while most of her phone calls were to people from companies Flynn knew well, there were regularly certain calls to unknown correspondents; they were always short and never sounded business-related. Flynn had drawn the conclusion that they were probably his mother's sister or cousins, as he knew that she often got in touch with them.

That put aside, there was nothing. Maybe the strategy wasn't good. Maybe Flynn could try talking to his father and see if he could convince his wife to loosen her grip on their son. Maybe he could keep on dreaming, too. His father had never done a damn thing for him – though he had never done anything against him either. Why would it change now?

Flynn laid down on his bed, his arms outstretched. Was it too much to ask for a normal life? As he closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind, the answer remained hidden to him.

* * *

><p>The next evening, Flynn's intercom rang. He went to answer.<p>

"Yes?"

"_It's me."_

"Y-Yuri? What–"

"_Please open."_

Troubled, Flynn complied anyway. As soon as Yuri reached the entrance of the flat, the blonde boy understood immediately that there was something wrong. There was pain in Yuri's eyes, terrible pain.

"Come inside." Flynn urged him. "What's wrong?"

But as he closed the door behind him, he found himself pinned roughly against it and before he could say anything, Yuri sealed his mouth with his own, hungrily, forcefully, desperately. It hurt, and Flynn winced and tried to gasp for air, but it only served as an opportunity for Yuri to deepen the kiss ferociously, as if to feed on Flynn's stifled protests. The grip on him hurt and he was almost choking, and he started struggling until he finally managed to shove Yuri aside.

"Yuri! What the hell?" he snapped, but immediately regretted it when he saw that Yuri was trembling, his head lowered and his face partly veiled by his hair, and biting his lower lip to bleed. "Yuri... What happened?" he asked again with serious concern, rushing at the boy and cupping both his cheeks gently between his hands, wiping the blood off with his thumb.

Again, Yuri's reaction was unexpected. He pulled Flynn against him and held him tightly, so tightly that he could barely breathe. There was something _terribly_ wrong, and he was starting to get seriously worried; what could have prompted Yuri to come without even a notice and to act so... unlike himself?

"Yuri..." he whispered, trapped between the other boy's arms. His mind worked very quickly; he tried to review any possible hypothesis that could have driven Yuri to his current state. Had he been kicked out of his place? Was it his mother again? Had she actually done something against Karol or the others? But the next second brought him the correct answer.

"Pia..." Yuri let out with a strangled voice.

_Dear god, no. Not her._ Flynn immediately hugged Yuri back, stroking his back slowly and as comfortingly as he could. Within that simple name rested almost all of what Yuri was; she was the woman who had raised him like a true mother even though they weren't related by blood, the woman who had accepted his choice to leave her, no matter how much it had hurt her, and the woman who had accepted without any question his coming back to her.

"They took her to the hospital..." Yuri swallowed hard. "She passed out earlier and hasn't woken up since then."

Flynn had read enough of the news to know that all those who were being hospitalized because of the virus weren't likely to get any better. Yet, this was the last thing Yuri needed to hear. What he needed to hear now was a lie.

"She'll get better, Yuri." he murmured. "She definitely will."

The dark-haired male merely tightened his embrace on Flynn. He was no fool, even though he wasn't contradicting Flynn.

"Don't worry. She'll get better." the latter repeated, powerless.

"I'm fed up, Flynn." Yuri said bitterly." As soon as I think that everything's fine, something bad has to happen. It's like I'm cursing everything around me."

"It's not your fault, Yuri. Look at me." Flynn managed to free himself from Yuri's arms and forced the boy to look at him. "It's _not_ your fault. There's nothing you can do about it."

The pain he read on his lover's face made his heart sink. Gently, he pressed his lips against Yuri's, and the kiss actually soothed him down; Flynn felt him relax a bit and return the kiss, this time not demandingly, but simply as a way to seek consolation. Flynn provided it to him gladly.

As they parted, dark amethyst eyes gazed longingly at sapphire ones. One had to be blind not to see that at this instant, there was nothing but craving in the former, a sheer craving for human warmth, for something he had been denied for long enough to put him at the limits of tolerance.

Words weren't needed; Flynn merely led him to his room as a silent consent. He let Yuri release all his pent-up frustration, let him pour out all his dismay through each kiss, each bite and each gesture; they were rough yet still caring, ungentle yet still arousing. Flynn's body turned pliant under Yuri's one, abandoning itself to the bittersweet desire driving them both. It wasn't the usual thrilling eagerness they had for each other; it was a rash and thoughtless impulse born of sorrow, a repressed rage caged by anguish. Nonetheless, Flynn accepted it all and willingly, because it was the only way for Yuri to keep his sanity.

Even when he was exhausted, he welcomed Yuri with open arms when the latter asked for more, because there was nothing else he could do to lighten the weight of Yuri's misery. Countless times they called out each other's name, like a mantra that would shield them from the outer world and make them forget for the span of a night how unmerciful Lady Fate was. Countless times they murmured 'I love you' to each other, as if to make sure that neither of them would forget it – and how could they forget? Their hearts were beating as one, their breathes were matching perfectly, even the tiniest movements of their bodies were complementary. And soon enough, they were spent to blankness though their minds were bathing in complete obscurity. They lay in each other's arms, surrounded by silence and the musky smell of their agitated night.

Yuri was resting on top and his hand was playing absent-mindedly with the bracelet around Flynn's wrist, his fingers hovering the tiny charm. A charm to protect against harm.

If only.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx**

**A/N: Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah today we celebrate the fic's first anniversary *pats self since is all alone* As a small token of appreciation to all those who have been supporting the fic since the beginning, you can find a new drawing (link in my profile). And to all of you who've been bearing with me for a year, congratulations O_O Not sure how you managed :D  
><strong>


	33. February 18th to 24th

**February 18th to 24th **

Flynn poured a steaming cup of tea and nudged it to Yuri along with a plate of toasts. It was a relief that today was Saturday and they didn't have to go to school. Yuri didn't have to go work either. The blonde boy wasn't even sure Yuri was in any state to go anywhere; it had required a lot of patience and care to convince him to get up and take a shower, and even then Flynn had been afraid that Yuri would choose to drown himself, given how long he had stayed in the bathroom.

He was currently like a small child, lost on his own and incapable of acting unless if he was told to. The only difference was that children normally never looked so downcast, and their eyes never reflected the blankness of one that had accumulated more pain than what they could express. It was the second hard blow he was receiving, and Flynn was still as powerless as ever. The only thing he could do was offer his lover physical comfort, which wasn't so bad, but neither could it make up for what Yuri was enduring.

Flynn lay concerned eyes on the dejected boy seated in front of him, feeling both frustrated and bitter at being – once again – unable to do anything for him.

"Eat something." he suggested softly. He saw Yuri look emptily at the plate and the cup.

Finally, he picked up a toast and bit on it with barely any conviction. Flynn was inwardly relieved, though just a bit. At least Yuri hadn't lost his appetite. Yet. Both boys had breakfast in complete silence save for the ticking of the clock and the faint crackling of bread as they ate. The clock indicated 10.30 when they were done, and as Flynn cleared the table, he decided to break the heavy silence:

"Perhaps you should call Rita and Karol." he said carefully.

No answer.

"Or I can do it, if you prefer." Flynn went on, walking back to Yuri and giving a light stroke to his hair.

"No, I'll do it." Yuri managed to utter, though his voice was tired. "And... I'd like to go and visit her."

There was no need to ask who 'her' was referring to. Flynn nodded and lay a kiss on Yuri's forehead.

"Of course. I'll go with you." he replied.

"But you have work to do."

"It can wait."

"And... how about your mother? She probably has someone to watch you on weekends as well."

"Yuri." Flynn said firmly. "Even if she does, what does it change? You already spent the night here with me. My mother can find out about us if she wants, I'm not letting you alone. For now, I'm staying with you as long as necessary."

Yuri raised his eyes to Flynn, gratitude painted all over his face, before lowering them again and letting out a semblance of chuckle.

"I'm still not sure what I did to deserve someone as nice as you."

"You seduced me?" Flynn suggested with a smile. He was rewarded when the smile was returned.

"It wasn't really planned, you know." the other boy replied softly and leant his head backward against Flynn's chest when the latter moved behind him and circled his shoulders, resting his chin on top of Yuri's head.

"But you confess your guilt to it anyway." Flynn went on.

"I'm not the only one to blame in this case." Yuri said with a hint of reproach.

"You're right. Your good looks are also partly responsible."

"Wh–"

Flynn interrupted him with a kiss, his arms still around Yuri.

"Shall we go?" he then asked with a smile as he pulled back.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, Rita and Karol had to stay at the orphanage to help the assistants take care of the other children; apparently, Judith was with them too, checking on the health of each of them. Pia had been careful and would always wear a mask and require that the children wash their hands regularly, but as the way of propagation of the illness was still unknown, it was better to make sure the kids didn't present any symptoms.<p>

"Not that it would change anything if they did." Yuri had pointed out darkly on the way to the hospital. Flynn hadn't picked it up.

As expected when they stepped into the hospital, the place was in full commotion, with patients and visitors waiting in the halls and corridors. The medical staff was overloaded, trying to both take care of the ill while losing their patience on the relatives who kept insisting on urging them with ceaseless questions and requests. The fact that a part of the patients was originally also part of the medical staff didn't help simplify the matter.

"Oh damn..." Yuri muttered. "Didn't imagine it would be _that_ bad."

"Let's go to the reception desk and see if we are still allowed to visit Pia." Flynn suggested.

They were, a nurse told them, but they had to stay outside the room. Due to the lack of place, the patients were now sharing big rooms with large window panes through which the visitors could see. The only people allowed inside were the doctors and the nurses, and all of them were wearing masks and gloves. On each of the doors was a 'No entry' sign.

Yuri's heart sank when he spotted Pia sleeping in a bed inside one of those rooms. He wished he could touch her, take her hand and tell her that she'd be fine, but he couldn't. Instead, he merely grazed the glass of the pane with the tip of his fingers, imagining that he was right next to her. From that distance, he could barely make out her face, but he had no trouble noticing the heavy breathing and the few spasms that shook her frail body. Sometimes she coughed violently but it wouldn't even wake her up. The other patients were in more or less the same state, if not worse.

The boys managed to catch a nurse who was visibly in a hurry like everyone else there, and though slightly annoyed, she answered their questions anyway:

"No, we still don't know the cause of this flu, and therefore we can't find any efficient treatment. For now no one has died, though some cases of coma were reported a bit everywhere worldwide. And no, we still aren't sure whether it's contagious or not, but if it's a sort of flu, then it is better for you to stay away."

When she strode away to her duties, Yuri turned back to the room, his eyes set on Pia who was having a new coughing fit. He thought she had opened her eyes at that moment, but it was most certainly his imagination. He felt a hand on his back, giving slow strokes. Glancing on the side, he saw Flynn looking at him with sheer concern painted on his face. He tried to smile but Flynn wasn't fooled by it.

"No need to force yourself. I just want you to know that I'm here if you need it." he said.

"I know." Yuri let out under his breath. "I just wish things could be a little better..."

"So do I, Yuri. So do I." Flynn replied, hugging his lover against him.

* * *

><p>Monday turned out to be normal for most students, and very gloomy for a few of them. At the lunch break, even the normally enthusiastic Karol was depressed to no end, and Rita was in a sour mood, snapping at anyone who annoyed her – or didn't, for that matter.<p>

"Damn those incompetent doctors!" she raged for the hundredth time, smashing her food with a fork. "It's just a damn flu! Why can't they find any treatment for a freaking _flu_?"

"Calm down, Rita." Yuri had stopped counting how many times he had pronounced that sentence today. He was getting more and more irritated each time, though. "Fussing over it won't heal people."

"I know that!" she snapped. "But seriously, it's not like our century is technologically-retarded or anything! They can at least find the cause of that illness!"

"Yeah well, apparently they can't." Yuri replied dryly.

"Do you even care a bit about this?" Rita asked aggressively.

Yuri glared at her. "What do you think? Of course I care. But I don't see the point in treating everyone as you are doing now."

"But I'm pissed at how useless doctors are! And they're falling sick themselves. In a few months you won't have anyone left to treat the sick."

"Rita, I understand how you feel, but you can't blame doctors for something that is beyond their control." Flynn intervened, trying to cool down the atmosphere. Karol remained silent, merely eating and brooding.

A flash of anger crossed Rita's eyes. She stood up abruptly. "I'm gonna get some air." she said dryly before taking her tray with her and leaving.

Yuri let out a long sigh. "She's never really showed it but she's really attached to Pia."

"So are all of you." Flynn nodded. "She'll need some time to let out the steam."

"I'm starting to doubt she can do that. She's always been hot-tempered."

"You'll have to help her a bit then."

"I'm not sure I can. Right now she annoys me more than anything."

"But she needs you. The both of you." Flynn insisted as he directed his gaze to Karol also.

The long-haired male didn't reply. Of course she needed them, the same way Yuri needed Flynn. But he wasn't as good with people as Flynn was. Or Estelle.

"Where's Estelle by the way?" he inquired, changing the topic. "Wasn't she supposed to join us?"

"That's what Rita said earlier." Karol finally spoke, though with a very monotonous voice. "We haven't seen her though."

"That's strange. She usually says so beforehand if she can't come. It's a pity she isn't here though. She can probably deal with Rita better than us." Yuri said. "I'll phone her and see where she is now."

Picking out his mobile from his pocket, he dialled Estelle's number and waited. A few seconds later, he hung up, frowning.

"She isn't replying." he said.

"Maybe she forgot to turn her phone on." Karol guessed.

"Yeah. Well I'll send her a message then."

As Yuri did so, the two other boys merely finished their meals silently, until Karol sighed heavily.

"I already miss Pia." he said, disheartened.

"She'll get better soon." Yuri asserted with unexpected conviction. The younger boy raised his eyes to him, a foolish hope on his traits.

"She will, won't she?" he asked.

Yuri nodded. "Yeah, definitely. Right, Flynn?"

The latter smiled before nodding as well. "Yes, she will."

Even if each of them knew they were lying to themselves, the atmosphere was still a bit lighter as the rest of the day passed. And after all, dwelling in self-pity and pessimism wasn't mentally healthy, as Flynn had pointed out. Afternoon soon came and classes ended for the day, with no sign of Estellise anywhere nor any reply from her. However, Yuri didn't worry more than that. She had probably simply let her phone turned off.

For now, he had a few other concerns on his mind. Such as finding a way to pay next month's rent, for instance. Flynn's offer was still teasing the back of his head, but as much as possible, he didn't want to become completely dependant on him, especially if it could bring about more troubles for Flynn. On the other hand, he knew that as soon as he'd find a job, he would most likely lose it.

An idea crossed his head. There was still the possibility for him to move back to the lower quarters, and work for Don Whitehorse. He hadn't had any news from the organization but it was an easy guess to assume that the old man had chosen to remain discreet while preparing himself to act quickly if Alexei were to come back. And speaking of old men... Yuri hadn't found any time to get in touch with Raven since his last conversation with Judith. But again, right now, Raven wasn't his top priority.

He put his earphones on and walked back home, letting the music take his mind away from his multiple worries.

* * *

><p>Flynn's phone rang while he was skimming through today's recording. Pausing the video, he glanced at his phone's screen and cocked an eyebrow as he took the call.<p>

"Good evening, father." he greeted.

"_Hello Flynn. I hope I'm not disturbing you right now." _Flynn's father replied.

"Not at all. What can I do for you?"

"_Oh, nothing much. I was just calling to inform you I will be back home tomorrow. I thought we could have dinner together with your mother at her favourite restaurant."_

"I would be glad to." Flynn lied though he kept a light tone. At least, when his father was there, his mother was more bearable. And she wouldn't start a fuss in a public place – her image mattered more.

"_Excellent. I suggest you come at our place at 7, then we'll go together. Does that fit your schedule?"_

"It does, father. There is no problem on that side."

"_Good. Oh, and by the way, I heard from a few clients that you've started some quite interesting contracts with them. I hoped you could tell me about them tomorrow."_

Flynn froze, then cursed mentally. He had specifically requested confidentiality from his clients, but apparently they must have thought that Flynn's parents were an exception to the rule. "Yes, I have. I've been working on small projects and thought it would be a good training for the future to start dealing with customers right now. I hope I didn't do you any wrong." he said, keeping as neutral a tone as he could.

"_Not at all! I'm actually pretty proud of you. You'll be very fit to take over me once I retired. Your mother will agree as well, I'm sure."_

The blonde boy bit his lower lip. "If possible..." he hesitated slightly, "I'd like her not to know about it. She may try to push more work on me than I already have, and since I'm still busy with school–"

"_Ah, right. She may indeed do that. She does tend to forget that you're still a student, doesn't she?"_ the man chuckled. _"Alright, I'll just hear it from you when she isn't there."_

Flynn was surprised that such a weak excuse actually convinced his father. Then again, they barely talked to each other and their relationship was closer to that of two polite acquaintances than to a true father-son one. Just for this once, though, Flynn was actually grateful for it. "Certainly, I'd be happy to." he replied more enthusiastically.

"_Very well. I'll see you tomorrow then. Now I need to leave to the airport before I miss my plane."_

"Have a safe trip, father."

"_Thank you."_

Flynn put his phone back on his desk and leant against the back of his chair with a sigh. He would rather stay at home instead of having dinner with his parents, but since it was only for one evening, he figured he could make the sacrifice.

* * *

><p>On that morning, the headlines of one of the newspapers was: <em>Overzealous Alexei?<em> It was Flynn's current reading at the school's library when Yuri joined him and dropped flatly on the chair in front of him.

"Some tensions have started to appear to protest against Alexei's policy." Flynn commented as he laid the paper bare on the table. "That was to be expected."

Yuri slid it to him and started reading.

_'For months have the actions of the Chief of the National Security Forces received only praises and applause from public opinion; yet it seems that his strict policy to tackle criminality has recently slipped closer to the beginning of an authoritative regime, some people say. "We've seen his policemen acting with a level of violence that completely mismatched what he [editor's note: the suspect] has done!" a few witnesses reported after the arrest of a young man who allegedly tagged on a wall. Several other protests have started rising here and there, including in the surrounding towns, though no one really dares speak loudly as most inhabitants are still convinced that Alexei's actions are necessary to maintain security._

_However, more and more doubts are raised concerning the rightfulness and the legitimacy of 'mass-trialling' – as it is now called – as the defendants' relatives argue that such hasty trials can't be fair. "How can you accept a sentence that has been passed in less than half an hour, with a lawyer who barely tries and a prosecutor who has already convinced the judge before the trial even starts?" the spouse of a convicted man deplored. She is not the only one to feel a certain anger towards the new law system. Rumours of false evidence have begun to circulate as well. Mr Sidos Heurassein, the most renowned prosecutor, has refused to give any comment on the matter.'_

The article was much longer, but Yuri stopped there and raised his eyes to Flynn.

"You think this is going to have any influence?" he asked.

"Well for now it seems that the protests are very local." Flynn replied, pondering. "But if this keeps going on, then there are chances that the situation will deteriorate. I honestly can't help but think that Alexei's methods are excessive. Among those who are sentenced every day, I'm pretty sure there are innocent people."

Yuri gritted his teeth. "That man is... Tch, I'd strangle him if I could."

"There is also another point which disturbs me quite a lot." Flynn added.

"What?"

"Estellise's father. Given how she is, I'd have imagined her father to be more... rigorous on law. I mean, it's obvious that all those rushed trials are completely unfair, and yet he keeps on prosecuting them as if it was normal. And Estellise doesn't seem to mind it."

"You can't really judge anyone related to her based on herself. Just look at who her godfather is." Yuri retorted sullenly.

"You have a point there." Flynn sighed. "Any news from her by the way?"

Yuri shook his head. "She usually talks with Rita more, so you should probably ask her."

"How is she?"

"Rita, you mean?" the long-haired male shrugged. "She's still in a pretty bad mood and Karol is taking the hits for us. There's something else that worries me, though. With Pia in that state, the orphanage can't function properly, even if her assistants can replace her temporarily. But imagine what'd happen if they also fall sick... And the kids as well."

Flynn gazed at his lover sympathetically. The latter looked truly concerned and it seemed to him that there were more creases on his forehead than usual. His hand found its way to Yuri's.

"The orphanage will be fine, Yuri. It belongs to the town council so there's no way the mayor will leave it uncared of." he said with a smile which he hoped was reassuring.

"...Yeah, you're right." Yuri gave a small nod. "Though he won't able to do anything if the kids are sick. Isn't there anything new about that damn flu?" he inquired as he start flipping the pages of the newspaper.

"Nothing positive, at least." Flynn sighed.

"Hey, who's that guy?" Yuri suddenly asked, tapping a photograph in the paper with his finger.

"Oh, apparently he's Alexei's new recruit. Some sort of newly appointed officer in charge of the security. Damuron Atomais, I think his name is, though that's about all that is known about him."

"Hmm..." Yuri was staring at the picture with a troubled expression.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure... his face looks kinda familiar." Yuri said pensively. "Dunno, it feels like I've already seen him somewhere. Maybe when I was still living in the lower quarters. Some patrols would pass by."

"Or maybe you're mistaking him with someone else." Flynn suggested.

"Probably. I suppose I'd have remembered if a shady guy like that showed up." Yuri leant back against his chair and crossed his arms, sighing. "Well, that's quite a pretty crappy time we're living in." he concluded.

"It'll get better somehow." Flynn replied with barely any conviction.

Yuri remained silent, gazing absent-mindedly at the paper spread in front of him. Since they were in the library, there wasn't much noise around them, and they sat there in silence for a whole minute; and yet that silence was much more significant than any word they could have exchanged. A mere glance was enough for Flynn to see that Yuri was about as hopeful about the future as he was. The cascade of bad news was mining the boy a bit more every day, and Flynn was starting to fear the moment when Yuri wouldn't be able to withstand the flow anymore. Should it happen, Flynn wasn't certain how to react to prevent his lover from doing something stupid. But that moment hadn't come yet, and the blonde boy prayed with all his might that he never had to witness it.

His phone buzzed, almost making him jump. Annoyed, he produced it from his pocket and read the message that had just been sent to him. His face visibly betrayed his thoughts as Yuri inquired:

"Something bad?"

"Ah, no... It's just... Well, I didn't tell you but my father is actually coming back today and we are supposed to have dinner with him and my mother." Flynn replied with some reserve.

"Coming back?"

"He's very often on business trip and he's seldom at home." Flynn explained. "So I barely get to talk to him, but I guess we get along well. At least he isn't as... restrictive as my mother, let's say. And just now he sent me a message to tell me he'd pick me up when I was done with my lectures."

"You don't look rejoiced." Yuri pointed out.

"Well, the plan was for me to meet my parents directly at home, at 7. That would have left me some free time to stay with you." He pouted. "I don't want to refuse his offer since I know he's just trying to do a kind gesture for me, but I thought we could have spent a bit of time in the university's park since the weather has warmed up a bit."

Yuri's eyes lit up at those words. "Then let's skip afternoon classes and do that. And your father can pick you up afterwards. There should be no problem like that."

Flynn raised his eyebrows, surprised. Even if he had done it a few times, he really disliked skipping lectures; however, sometimes, it was maybe necessary to have a change of priorities. And he knew perfectly what – or who – his priority was. Missing a lecture or two wouldn't be a tragedy for him, especially if that allowed him to stay by Yuri's side a bit longer.

He smiled. "Let's do that, then." he said, standing up and picking his coat.

"Right now?"

"Why not?"

"Oh, I didn't think you were _that_ eager to be in my company." Yuri smirked.

Flynn pretended to scowl and dragged his lover by the arm outside. The weather was indeed quite fine and warm given the season. The bright sun was making up for the chilly air that still bathed the park, allowing the students who were the less sensitive to cold to walk around in the stony alleys or chat on the benches. Leaves had yet to cover the tree branches, though the dark green firs made the landscape look less bleak. Small splatters of grey snow could be seen among the patches of grass and cobbles, still refusing to melt. It was certainly not the best time of the year to admire the view, but it didn't matter for both boys.

They wandered around, fingers laced, barely talking. At some point they spotted an empty bench and voted in favour of sitting there.

"It'd be better if it were spring." Flynn commented with a soft voice.

"Hmm." was the only reply he received.

As Flynn was about to turn his head, he felt a weight on his shoulder and locks of hair tickling his neck. With a faint smile, he slipped an arm around Yuri's waist while his other hand reached for stray strands of raven hair to play with.

"It's been quite some time since I last cooked something for you." Yuri said suddenly.

"There have been many other things on our minds lately." Flynn replied.

"That's not a reason for me to neglect you."

"If that can reassure you, never once have I felt neglected by you."

Yuri raised his head. "Oh really? This means that I should make myself a bit more desired, then. Otherwise it's not funny."

Their lips met before Flynn could retort anything. The kiss was soft and short, and still it made Flynn feel warmer than a heartbeat ago.

"You won't make yourself more desired if you keep doing this." Flynn murmured with a smile.

"Shall I stop then?" Yuri asked, a smirk on his lips.

"Please don't."

"I knew it. Too bad there are people here, or I'd ravish you."

"It's my turn, I believe."

Yuri pouted for a second. "Right. Well, I don't mind either way. When are you coming to my place?" he then asked, earning a sigh from the blonde boy.

"As soon as I can." The implications behind that sentences were pretty clear to both of them.

Yuri didn't insist, and Flynn didn't drag longer on the matter. They weren't going to waste their afternoon together with unpleasant topics. The next few hours that passed proved to be a nice and welcomed break for the two boys.

* * *

><p>"<em>Summary of the report of the National Health Commission, ordered by the Health Ministry, February 3rd 20xx.<em>

_[...]The causes of the current epidemic that is striking worldwide are still unknown. Multiple tests and analyses have been carried out with no significant results as for how to contain the epidemic. No virus nor bacteria have been isolated and identified, which makes it harder to find an efficient treatment. It is uncertain whether the disease is contagious or not, as the high number of contaminated persons could be due to an extreme virulence of the body that is responsible for the disease.[...]_

_Symptoms: light coughing at the beginning, heavy after a dozen days. Constant fever (around 38°C), trembling limbs. After three weeks, the symptoms of a severe pneumonia can be observed. After a month, the patients start losing consciousness at irregular intervals. In the most advanced cases, comas of several days can be observed.[...] No death yet.[...]_

_Statistics: 97% of the first diagnosed cases were observed on women, the age range being 25-55, 83% from wealthy backgrounds (this eliminates the possibility of a disease appearing in insanitary conditions). The first diagnosed cases among the male population appeared about a month later. No specific age range was observed. Two months later, the figures are more homogeneous: 59% female, 41% male, age-indifferent, 67% from wealthy backgrounds, 28% from middle class, 5% from underprivileged backgrounds."_

Rita finished taking several notes on her notebook and put down her pen, staring at the screen of the computer with a deep frown. Around her could be heard the faint chatters of the other students working on their assignments or simply lazying around on the computers of the lab room. The brunette girl however was doing none of those.

She had decided to spend all her free time investigating that alleged 'flu'. If there was no competent mind among the medical body, then she would take care of it herself. She wasn't in the Chemistry department for nothing; with the Pharmacology department sharing the same labs as hers, she would be able to work quite freely, as long as she pretended that it was for her own assignments.

Her own teachers had acknowledged her as an exceptionally gifted student, which she was very well aware of. However, as gifted as she was, for now she had to admit the difficulty of the task she had imposed on herself. Tapping the pen on the table irritably, she bit her lower lip.

Where to start? In order to carry out tests, she needed samples. Where could she find them? What kind of tests? The statistics she read also troubled her. If it was a normal disease, then it would have struck people completely randomly, no matter the age, gender or background. Yet this was not the case. Perhaps that was a pertinent point to start with.

Her brain was going to be very much demanded on.

* * *

><p>"Tell me again what you were doing today?" Judith asked innocently.<p>

Raven gulped down his glass of whiskey and motioned the bartender to give him another fill. "Today? Nothing much. Reading, mainly. Now that I have a lot of free time, I'm trying to finish all the books in my library."

"Don't you think it's time for you to find a real occupation?"

Raven sighed. "Yeah, I supposed I should do that. I was thinking of applying at the faculty of literature."

"So, teaching again?" the fine woman tilted her head on the side with a charming smile.

"What else can this old man do but teach?" Raven emptied his glass again.

Judith pretended to think for a second before replying. "I don't know, something a bit more stupid. Enrolling in the police again, for example." she said lightly. Raven's hand holding his glass tensed a bit, but still enough for Judith not to miss it. He forced a laugh.

"You know better than me that it's the last thing I want to do." he let out bitterly.

"Really?"

"What are you insinuating?"

Judith's sweet smile hid her thoughts perfectly. "Nothing."

Raven gave a questioning glance at her, then sighed. "I'm having some trouble believing you."

"That should be my line, Raven. But as long as you're not willing to tell me the truth, I can't really do anything about it, can I?" Her tone was still light, but Raven knew her well enough to detect the hint of reproach behind it.

He turned his attention back to his empty glass, playing with the half-melted ice cubes in it. His forehead was creased with too many worries for him to count them; and guilt was slowly taking over him. There was no denying his deep care for Judith, and it was because of that affection for her that he couldn't tell her. He simply couldn't. She was suspecting something – it was Judith he was dealing with, after all – but it was best for her to remain uninformed. No matter how piercing her stares were, no matter how deep they wanted to read in him, no matter how sweet and enthralling her voice was, he couldn't allow himself to give in. Perhaps she would understand if he told her, but she would most likely stand on his way anyway, for his own sake.

For he knew that what he was doing was far from being the most sensible choice, but it was his choice anyway. He was very well aware of the cage he had been lured in; he had willingly chosen to be trapped in it after all. No matter the consequences.

Because he needed _her_. And because he had promised _him_.

And the less involved Judith was, the better it was. She was already overworking because of the flu epidemic, she didn't need another burden on her shoulders. It was the least he could do for her.

"How long until your shift starts?" he asked, finding it best to change the topic.

"Eager to get rid of me, aren't we?" Judith asked back, her cool expression unchanged. "In an hour."

"Seems like there's no end to that epidemic, is there?"

"Indeed. With half the medical staff down, it's getting harder to receive new patients. And it's getting harder to make the difference between a normal flu and this... thing."

"You should stop working before getting contaminated yourself." Raven said very seriously.

"Are you actually worried about me?" the nurse inquired with a mocking tone.

"Maybe."

"I appreciate it, but it is my job to treat sick people."

"Just try not to let that job kill you." Raven replied with a sigh.

"Again, that should be my line." Judith whispered as she sipped on her glass.

If Raven heard it, he pretended not to.

* * *

><p>Sometimes, it happened to Flynn to wish he had stayed buried under his blankets instead of getting up. Recently, it had started happening quite often, and today it happened again. Oh, the dinner with his parents went on fine, thank you very much. As expected, his mother didn't annoy him while they were still at the restaurant and with his father. It was the trip back by car that proved tedious.<p>

His father was driving, and next to him was seated his mother, leaving him on the back siege. It was past 11 pm, and the few glasses of wine he had had were making him feeling slightly dizzy though he was still fully conscious. His only wish though was to be home as quickly as possible, have a hot shower and then join his bed for a good night of sleep. The silence filling the car was very conducive for closing his eyes.

Unfortunately for him, his mother had decided that his mind would not be allowed peace for long.

"That bracelet you're wearing, where does it come from?" she asked out of the blue with no kindness in her tone.

"A gift." Flynn replied after a second, too tired to think.

"From whom?"

Flynn cursed himself for his mistake. It would have been better if he had lied and pretended he had bought it himself. "A friend."

"That Yuri Lowell?" she almost spat the name as if it was venom.

"What does it matter?" Flynn asked back dryly, feeling his temper rise.

"I told you countless times not to associate with people like them."

"People like them? You don't even know Yuri!"

"Now, now." Flynn's father interrupted them calmly. "Don't talk to your mother like that. And my dear, tell me exactly who this Yuri is."

"A low-born who has been tainting our name by staying around our son." the woman replied sharply.

"He is my friend." Flynn protested with defiance.

"He. Is. Not!" his mother snapped. "He is most certainly after money, nothing else."

"Oh really? So it's probably because he's after money that he refused the bribe you offered him to get rid of him." Flynn's last string of control snapped.

"You did what?"

The question came from his father, and the tone was a mix of surprise and disbelief.

"I did what I deemed necessary for our son's future." she replied coldly. "Since you are never here, someone has to take care of his upbringing."

"You know very well that my job requires me to travel a lot, and do not change the subject. What is that bribe about?"

"You are the one who is changing the subject. Do not interrupt me while I'm talking to the boy. You invited him to spend the night at your place, didn't you?" Flynn's mother stared at him icily through the mirror.

"Yes, I did. And you send people to tail us and watch our every movement." Flynn replied, unwavering. His father seemed to disapprove of his mother's behaviour, maybe he had a chance to win this game.

"For your own good! You are incapable of taking care of your own future, someone has to do it for you."

"This is _not_ what I'd call 'taking care of my future', it sounds more like you're imposing a future on me!"

"Don't talk back to me with such an insolent tone! I know what is good for you, and that boy from the lower quarters is definitely not part of that category!" his mother raised the tone.

"He's much better to me than you are." Flynn let out, his dizziness completely gone now.

"How dare you–"

"Oh but I dare. I dare, the same way you dare meddle with my private life. The same way you–"

"ENOUGH!"

The car fell silent at once, save for the faint noise of the engine. Flynn gave a quick glance at the mirror and saw the reflection of his father's eyes in it; the sparks in them didn't mean anything good.

"I don't know the whole story, but obviously I was wrong to think I could entrust our son to you, Deborah. And you, Flynn, I've always heard but praises about you and today I have to witness your childish behaviour. I also expect explanations from you about that Yuri boy."

The car stopped at a traffic light. It was still a bit far from Flynn's place, but that was the last of his concerns.

"I think not." he replied dryly. Without wasting another second, he got out of the car and slammed the door behind him. He hurried on the street, ignoring the calls for him to come back.

The air was chilly, which was perfect to cool off his head. And a bit of walking wouldn't do him any harm either. It took him about a quarter of an hour to realize that his steps were leading him to the area where Yuri lived. Well, he had promised Yuri to drop by as soon as possible, yet he hadn't expected it to be so soon, but he wouldn't be complaining, most certainly.

* * *

><p>Yuri did complain as it was already midnight, though he soon forgot about the time when Flynn's hands snaked under his clothes and warm lips pressed against his neck and whispered a few words at his ear. The why and the what could wait until the next day. For now they simply let the night embrace them and offer them a few hours of sweetness and delights.<p>

* * *

><p>"Do you mind explaining yourself now?" Yuri asked as he put a plate of toasts in front of Flynn. The latter gave him a confused look, not expecting such a question so early in the morning, when they were still half-asleep. Then his brain seemed to catch up, and he found himself dropping his head in his hands, elbows resting on both sides of the plate. He sighed heavily and his voice sounded almost desperate when he spoke, as if he was only beginning to realize the mess he had put himself in:<p>

"I lost my temper yesterday with my parents."

"You did?" Normally, Yuri would have teased him about it, but something told him that this time, the situation wasn't fit for any teasing.

Flynn nodded, leaning his back against the chair and playing absent-mindedly with his bracelet. "Let's say my mother still hasn't given up on you – and I mean it in a bad way – and we kind of argued a bit. Then my father meddled in as well." he explained flatly.

Yuri opened his mouth to say something but closed it soon after. He pursed his lips. "You mean it's because of me that–"

"No. Yuri, no." Flynn cut him in firmly. The last thing he wanted was for Yuri to feel guilty for something he wasn't responsible for. "It's because of my mother. She's too stubborn to understand anything."

"Does she know about us?"

"I'm quite certain she doesn't, as she didn't mention it. But she knows you went to my place on the other day."

Yuri stood up to prepare himself a cup of hot chocolate. He didn't look quite happy. "She'll find out soon enough, especially if we keep seeing each other like this." he said.

"I was careless." Flynn sighed. "I should have controlled my temper, and now I fear the consequences won't be very pleasant. I'm sorry." he sighed again.

"Hey, hey. You don't have the right to blame yourself if you don't allow me to do the same." Yuri scolded him though his tone was gentle.

"But it's true." the blonde boy insisted. "Because of my carelessness, who knows what my mother will come up with?"

"We'll care about it once it happens." Yuri replied, but Flynn shook his head.

"It'll be too late by then. For now the only solution I have is to speak to my father. I can't say my hopes are high, though. We barely have any contact so I'm not sure to what extent he's ready to listen to me, especially after the tantrum I threw yesterday."

"Sorry to say this, but your family really sucks." Yuri let out.

"That's no big news."

"Well, how about we resume the conversation later?" the raven-haired boy suggested. "You have to go back to your place to take your stuff before classes start, right? You'll be late if you don't get ready now."

"Oh, damn. You're right." Flynn replied as he finished his breakfast hastily. "I'll see you at school, then."

"Try not to get kidnapped by your parents." Yuri said very placidly.

Flynn merely rolled his eyes.

* * *

><p><em>'Do you have any news from Estelle?'<em>

The message he received in the middle of a lecture made Yuri frown. Why was Rita suddenly asking that? She was the one who was the closest to Estelle, how did she expect Yuri to know more than her? But that wasn't the only point that bothered him. If anything, it was the question itself which was troubling; it had been almost a week since anyone last heard from the girl. Of course Yuri hadn't been given the opportunity to dwell deeper into the topic, but now that he thought of it, not seeing Estelle for a whole week was peculiar. Yuri typed a reply, only to receive a new message a few seconds later.

_'She doesn't reply to my messages at all.'_

Now that was even less reassuring. _'We'll talk about it at lunch.'_ Yuri typed back.

Rita's scowling face greeted him at lunch. Karol and Flynn weren't there yet, and therefore he sat in front of her, asking:

"So, Estelle really didn't get in touch with you at all?"

The brunette shook her head. "I know it's only been a few days, but it's very unusual for her to keep quiet like that. Normally she at least sends me a message to tell me she'll be busy or something." she replied grimly.

"Can't really blame you for worrying about her, with everything that's happening right now." Yuri said. He hesitated for half a second before going on: "I was thinking, maybe she's sick and at the hospital."

"That wouldn't have prevented her from texting me." Rita countered.

"Unless she was in no state to." Yuri replied, meeting Rita's sharp gaze. In his head were images of Pia lying on her hospital bed, pale and weak, her eyes remaining stubbornly closed. He felt a knot in his stomach.

"Don't be stupid." the girl retorted. "It takes several weeks to reach that state. We saw her last week, and she was doing more than fine."

"You're right." Yuri was almost reassured with the explanation. Almost. "So the problem remains: what the hell is she doing?"

"Are you talking about Estellise?" a voice behind Yuri interrupted them.

Flynn put his tray next to Yuri's before removing his coat and taking a seat.

"Yeah. She hasn't given any sign of life." the long-haired boy said.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Flynn declared. "You bet we'd have heard of it if something had happened to her."

"What do you mean?" Rita inquired, frowning.

"Think. She's the daughter of Henry Sidos Heurassein, the most famous prosecutor of the country. If something had happened, it'd be in the news by now."

"Oh." Rita lowered her head as if to think. "It makes sense. But I still don't understand why she won't reply to my messages."

"When was her last reply?" Yuri asked.

"Let me check... It was on Sunday. She said her godfather had invited her and her parents to spend the afternoon together."

"And after that, nothing?"

Rita shook her head. "Nothing."

"Well, in any case I have to agree with Flynn on one point. We'd have heard about it if something bad had happened."

"I'll go to her place this afternoon." Rita decided.

"You've already been there?" Flynn asked.

"No, but Estelle told me the address once. I suppose it must be some sort of huge mansion or something. You want to tag along?"

"I'm afraid I can't." Flynn replied apologetically. "I have some work to do tonight."

"No problem. Yuri?"

"I've planned to go to the hospital." the latter replied.

"Oh. Yeah, I understand. But I see someone who I can drag along." Rita added as she gazed behind Flynn and Yuri.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late! Eeh... what's that look for, Rita?" Karol asked with uncertainty.

"It has just been decided that you'll be following Rita for a small trip to the Sidos' place." Yuri declared solemnly.

* * *

><p>"Rita... Are you sure you really want to go?" Karol asked hesitantly as he scratched his head.<p>

"Why else would have I come here?" the girl snapped.

"I-I mean... I don't feel very much at ease in that kind of place."

Both of them were standing in front of a large gate which was barely hiding a much larger house – no, mansion – in a no less large garden – no, park. They hadn't imagined there were such residential areas right at the outskirts of the town; it felt like a whole other world, where each house was the size of the orphanage, and where the only cars that were parked there were of the most expensive brands, where the only women who walked by had their necks, ears and wrists heavy with jewelry, and where the men all looked like CEOs.

At least it was Rita's impression. She wouldn't admit it, but at some point she did feel intimidated by the contrast with her simple, everyday life at the orphanage. And the neighbourhood she lived in wasn't even considered a particularly poor one.

"Anyway," she went on firmly, "We aren't here to admire the view." Without wasting another second, she pressed the button of the intercom. A male's voice replied almost immediately.

"_Yes?"_

For a heartbeat Rita gulped, undecided as for how to introduce herself, and Karol wasn't really helping either. Cursing herself mentally, she took in a deep breath and spoke:

"We're Estellise's friends from the university and we'd like to pay her a visit."

"_I am truly sorry, Miss, but Miss Estellise is currently away. May I have your names to inform her of your visit once she comes back?"_

Rita pulled a face, but she had planned that things would turn out like that. "Actually she lent me a book, and I just want to give it back."

"_Oh, in that case you can leave it in my care. I will give it to her as soon as she is back."_

"Alright. Thank you." Rita replied.

The gate opened and both she and Karol stepped inside. The paved alley led straight to the manor's main entrance and was lined with tall willows which long branches were swaying slowly. Karol kept gazing around him in awe at the park – there were even statues in it –, while Rita barely paid any attention to it. It took maybe a whole minute to reach the door which was now opened with a butler standing at the threshold.

"Good afternoon, Miss, Sir." he greeted, slightly bowing his head.

"Er, g-good afternoon." Karol stuttered back while Rita produced a book from her bag. She handed it to the butler.

"When is Estellise going to be back?" she inquired.

"I'm afraid that piece of information is unknown to me, Miss." the man said apologetically.

"But where is she?" Rita insisted.

"She is currently away."

"She hasn't given any sign of life since Sunday. You don't happen to know why?"

"I am sorry, but no." the butler replied impassively.

"Can't you simply ask her parents or something?" Rita crossed her arms, getting more and more irritated. Next to her, Karol was starting to fidget uncomfortably.

"It is not my place to ask such a thing."

"Then let me ask them."

"I'm afraid Mr and Mrs Sidos are currently very busy with work and have no time for you. Also, if you only came to give a book back, I would ask you to kindly leave now."

"We'll leave once we know where Estelle is." Rita replied dryly, not flinching a single second.

"I am sure Miss Estellise will be very please to know that you worry about her so much. However, as I said before, I do not know where she currently is."

"That's why I'm telling you to let me ask her parents! They should know, at least."

"As I said, they are busy–"

"They can find a few seconds to tell us where their daughter is." Rita cut him in, now clearly annoyed.

"Miss Estellise will most certainly be back soon, so please, do not insist."

"But–"

"Who is it?" a feminine voice asked softly. The next second, a woman with curly auburn hair and the same eyes as Estelle appeared in the door frame. Her face was round and sweet, and she looked so young Rita almost mistook her for Estelle's sister. Except that Estelle was an only child.

"I am sorry, Madam, but those young people here insist on knowing the whereabouts of Miss Estellise." the domestic explained.

Estelle's mother – at least Rita assumed she was – smiled warmly at both visitors.

"You are Estellise's friends, aren't you?" she asked. Without waiting for a reply, she dismissed the butler and turned her attention back to Rita and Karol. "I appreciate that you came all the way here to inquire about her but you don't have to worry. She is visiting her grandmother as we speak." she explained. "My poor mother missed her granddaughter terribly, and Estellise, being the kind soul she is, decided to spend a few days with her."

Karol nudged Rita with his elbow. "See? There was nothing to worry about."

But the brunette didn't look convinced. "She hasn't been replying a single of my messages."

"Is that so?" Mrs Sidos looked surprised. "How careless of her. She must be busy all day taking care of her grandmother. They often go walk outside or cook together a lot, and at the end of the day my poor Estellise is always tired. What are your names, my dear? I will

"Then... could you tell her also to call me as soon as she can? I am Rita Mordio."

"And I'm Karol Capell." Karol said.

"Oh! So you can speak, my boy!" Estelle's mother exclaimed, looking extremely delighted. "I thought for a moment that you didn't have a tongue. Anyway, Rita and Karol. I will tell her you paid a visit here, and I will scold her a bit too for ignoring her friends like that. But you'll have to forgive her, sometimes I wonder if she has air in her head instead of a brain." she laughed. "Well, my children, if that is all, then I'll excuse myself for I have a few errands to run."

"Yes, of course. We're sorry for the bother." Rita replied.

"And thank you for receiving us!" Karol added.

"But you are most welcome! Have a safe trip back." Estelle's mother grinned before closing the door behind her.

"So, are you reassured yet?" Karol asked as he and Rita walked back to the gate.

"I will be once Estelle calls me."

"You're damn stubborn."

"Of course I am." Rita shrugged.

"Well, at least that's one thing settled." Karol said happily.

Somehow, Rita's guts told her otherwise, though she couldn't pinpoint what or why. Maybe it was the way the hands of Estelle's mother kept trembling slightly every time she spoke, or maybe it was the way her smiles seemed slightly unnatural. Until Estelle actually contacted her, Rita wouldn't feel completely at ease.

* * *

><p>The tea house was quiet, and yet Flynn thought he had misheard his father. When the latter had called him out there to talk to him, Flynn had allowed himself to hope for a second that his father would side with him. On a more realistic side, he had prepared himself mentally for any lecture, reproach or sanction that could befall him.<p>

Or so he thought.

"What?" he stared incredulously at his father who was sipping a cup of tea. The man put it down as if nothing was wrong.

"I said, I agree with your mother. It is time for you to aim higher, and staying here will only slow you down. We're sending you abroad to finish your studies. Far from those common people, you will be able to deploy your full potential." he declared, paying no heed to Flynn's disbelieving expression.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx**

**A/N: Voilà for another chapter! I've not much to say and it's not like my A/N are actually very interesting to my lazy self will just say: thank you to all who're still reading this thing.  
><strong>


	34. February 25th to March 3rd

**February 25th to March 3rd **

The long dress rustled as she got lightly on her feet and made two steps toward the window. Her olive green eyes gazed wearily outside at the street where parents were dragging their kids to school or buying bread for breakfast or hurrying to whichever destination was in their minds. Her fingers clicked the window open and immediately, a breeze of cool air blew her pink hair and made her wince. It didn't matter. Right now, she would give anything to be able to stand outside, even in the cold, among those people passing by blithely.

What were her friends doing right now? She knew that they were worried about her, given the number of messages left on her phone – which had been confiscated and given back to her only once for her to reply to Rita, under strict supervision. She was one persistent girl, Alexei had commented.

The sound of her door being unlocked didn't even make her turn back, and neither did the deep male voice that addressed her.

"Estellise, you will catch a cold like that."

"I'm fine." she replied quietly, though she closed the window anyway and walked back to her desk by which she sat.

"Very well. I'll take my leave then. Khroma will take care of anything you need, as usual."

As the man was about to shut the door of the room, Estellise suddenly turned her head to him.

"Uncle Alexei, I'd like to call my parents tonight." she requested.

"Understood." the said 'uncle' replied with a short nod. "You will also be able to reply to the messages your friends left you. Khroma will see to it. Provided that you behave yourself."

"I will."

The door closing on her words was the only reply she received. The pink-haired girl slowly lowered her head to the empty desk in front her and wrapped both arms around her, shivering, though it wasn't of cold. The house was warm and nice and welcoming – it was one of her godfather's houses, after all – and yet she couldn't feel the warmth of a real home. All day long she had to remain shut in that big living room and was only allowed to walk around the house when accompanied by Khroma.

Estellise knew without looking that the beautiful woman was seated on the sofa near a corner of the room, as discreet as a shadow. Several times she tried to learn more about her, unsuccessfully. Khroma was always willing to have conversations with her, but as soon as the questions drifted to her own self, she would merely smile and give Estellise the same reply:

"I am but a mere assistant."

At first, Estellise had thought that she was Alexei's lover, or at least someone very close to him; but the fine woman had once chuckled at that assumption and Estellise didn't raise the topic again. There was however that constant glimpse of melancholy in her cobalt eyes, in spite of all the smiles she could give. The hint of sadness on the corner of her lips was always present, and somehow it also made the pink-haired girl feel pity for her.

"Why does Alexei do this?" she asked for the hundredth time, turning to Khroma.

Again, the first reply she got was a smile. "He has his own reasons, but I believe in him. Don't you?"

Estelle let out a small sigh, then stood up and went to take a seat on the sofa right in front of the other woman. She still hoped that she'd be able to learn something useful if she kept insisting a bit every day. The progress hadn't been noticeable, though.

"I... I thought I knew him well enough. He is Father's closest friend, after all. At least, that is what I thought." the girl almost murmured. "But you normally don't kidnap your closest friend's daughter, do you?"

"Do you still think of this as a kidnapping?" Khroma asked softly as she tilted her head on the side.

"Well... I am well treated and I lack nothing, but I am still not allowed to go where I please. I can't even go to school anymore and there are examinations coming in two weeks."

"It should barely be a problem for you, from what I heard."

But Estellise shook her head. "That is not the point. I don't understand why I am not allowed to see my parents. Alexei is my godfather. His actions aren't honourable."

Khroma didn't reply immediately. She looked thoughtful, slightly distant yet definitely not disturbed by Alexei's actions.

"Do you know Alexei's deepest wish?" she finally asked. "His one and true wish?"

The question confused Estelle. She shook her head slowly.

"He hates evil above everything else. He has always fought on justice's side against crime, since the day he first joined the police as a rookie." Khroma explained, though she seemed to be talking more to herself than to Estelle. "His deepest wish is for crime to cease to exist, and he is ready to make any required sacrifice."

"I know he has a really sharp sense of justice, but this doesn't–"

"No, it doesn't justify all his actions. But the world needs people like him. People who commit themselves entirely to a cause, no matter what can be thought of him afterwards." Khroma's voice turned distant. "Do not think he isn't aware of the criticisms that have risen lately. He knows and he endures them, because it is the only way to achieve his goals. Most people pretend to hate crime and yet do nothing about it, or they do it half-heartedly, because in the end, they still value themselves above the others."

"That isn't true." Estellise protested.

"It is. Alexei is the only man I've ever met who is ready to do anything for his beliefs. He truly hates evil and will do everything to eradicate it, even if it means staining his name. Even if it means taking his closest friend's daughter as a guarantee." Khroma gave a faint, melancholic smile.

"A... guarantee?" the girl asked with uncertainty.

"Haven't you guessed yet? I know you have enough wits for that."

"I... don't understand."

"Your father is the one who prosecutes most of the criminals who are caught by Alexei's brigade, isn't he? And in order to get them a guilty verdict quickly, it is better to have solid evidence against them." Khroma fell silent, smiling at Estelle again.

The latter gave her a quizzical look. As the woman tilted her head on the side again, a few blue strands of hair brushed over her shoulder. She swept them away with one hand, while the other took a glass of wine on the low table next to her.

"Don't you find it strange that your father always manages to have such handy pieces of evidence whenever he needs them?" she questioned enigmatically.

Estelle frowned. What did she mean? Evidence was evidence, regardless of how handy it could be. Unless... Her eyes opened wide. Khroma took a sip of her glass and put it back on the table.

"I guess you have realized by now." she merely stated.

But incredulity was still painted all over the girl's face. "You can't mean... My father would never..."

"Yes, he would." Khroma cut her in gently. "He would if he had a reason to."

"Do you mean that Uncle Alexei is keeping me here as a leverage to make sure that my father will follow him? That can't be..." Estelle lowered her eyes, unable to accept the truth that was slowly forming in her head.

The elegant woman stood up from her sofa, but only to kneel by Estelle's feet. Warm fingers caressed her cheek.

"I know it is hard to face it, but that's how it is. Your father forges evidence to make sure he wins each and every cases he handles; he probably bribes for testimonies as well. And your being held here is a guarantee that he will keep doing it. And since he is a renowned prosecutor and has Alexei's support, no one dares question him."

"B-But..." Tears started beading at the corner of her eyes. "I don't want my father to be forced to do illegal things because of me... There are probably innocent people being tried..."

"Do you think Alexei ignores it? It is a sacrifice he is willing to make to achieve his goals."

"Why do you defend him? Why do you support him so much?" Estelle exclaimed as she stood up abruptly from her chair, stepping away from Khroma. Her head felt dizzy. She couldn't believe it. Because of her, people were being arbitrarily sentenced. Because of her, his father had to wear the mask of a heartless prosecutor and break all his oaths.

Once again, she had to content herself with a weary smile as sole answer.

* * *

><p>Flynn put down the pencil he had been distractedly playing with on the table, next to the exercises he was working on. The past few days – and nights – hadn't been particularly restful for him, but now reflecting time was over. His decision was made. A few months ago, he would have never imagined even considering the option; yet plenty had happened since then and in particular, Yuri happened.<p>

It was Yuri who gave him the decisive resolve he had lacked in the past. If he could simply stay by Yuri's side, then everything else was but a small sacrifice.

Even if it implied relinquishing his name and his inheritance.

For it was the final outcome Flynn had come up with to be once and for all free from his parents' grip. For days he had weighted all the consequences – good or bad – and reached the conclusion that it would be his trump card to convince his parents to stop interfering with his life. He was the Scifos' only direct heir, and he was well aware that his mother's dearest wish was to have another child to replace his disobedient self. It was the sensitive string he'd have to play with.

Naturally, if he did chose to forfeit his succession rights, new problems would arise, but they would be mainly financial and that was something Flynn could cope with.

It sounded so easy now that the solution was laid bare in his mind. He suddenly fell much lighter and relieved. No matter what happened, he would always have an emergency exit. He felt so light that he was almost tempted to tell Yuri of his plans, but then decided against it.

Yuri would probably blame himself once again and say that there was no need to go to such extents for his sake. Flynn glanced quickly at the boy sitting in front of him and also trying to study for the coming exams, unaware of the stream of thoughts flowing in Flynn's head. He reckoned that his lover had already enough to deal with; he certainly didn't need more concerns to fill his head. No, for now it was a matter to be settled between his parents and himself.

Picking up his pencil, he shifted his focus back to his exercises, frowning as a particularly difficult question presented itself to him. Well, nothing that he couldn't solve. He kept on scribbling, sometimes pausing, sometimes checking his references, most of the time writing. Despite the silence in which the school library was bathed in, Flynn failed to hear the faint sound of a chair being dragged and footsteps getting past then behind him. It was only when a pair of arms circled his neck and a chin rested on his shoulder that he jumped slightly, only to smile as a voice murmured softly at his ear:

"Stop working so much, your brain's gonna explode."

"Shouldn't you be doing the same, Yuri?"

"Come on, exams are only in ten days. I still have plenty of time." he pouted. "Besides, you know I'll never be able to reach your level of concentration."

"I wasn't _that_ concentrated." Flynn protested.

"Enough for you not to notice my sneak attack on you." Yuri smirked.

"I can do with such attacks. Now, how about you go back to your seat and actually start studying?"

"I don't need to." Yuri replied with a sigh as he released Flynn from his embrace and complied anyway.

The blonde boy didn't insist. They already had similar discussions before, and Flynn had never managed to convince Yuri that it wasn't a good strategy to do just enough to pass. To which Yuri would always retort that as long as he passed, he didn't need to provide more effort.

"Ah, here's Karol and his friends coming." the long-haired male commented. "Weird, I don't see Rita with him." he added as he waved at the younger boy.

"She must be attending a lecture." Flynn replied.

Apparently she wasn't, Karol told them once he sat at their table.

"Rita? Nah, she's probably in the lab again." he said.

"The lab? Is she still having labs even though exams are in a week?" Yuri questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Karol shook his head. "Not really. She isn't working for school stuff. I think she's working on the virus."

"The virus?" Yuri frowned. "You mean that sort of super-flu thing?"

"I'm not sure. I've tried asking her several times but she just snaps at me, telling me not to bother her." the boy shrugged. "But I've had a look at all the papers she carries around, and they're all about the flu."

"Does she really think she can find out something?" Flynn asked.

"I don't know, but she's been at it for about a week." Karol explained. "And I mean, _really_ at it. She practically lives in the lab. She even went there during the weekend!"

"Crazy woman..." Yuri commented with resignation. "But somehow it doesn't surprise me, coming from that chem freak."

"Well you know..." Karol started hesitantly, "I think she's also trying to distract her mind from Estelle."

"But isn't she supposed to be at her grandmother?" Flynn intervened. "That's what you told us, at least."

Karol nodded. "Yeah, well that's what Estelle's mother said. But Rita doesn't want to believe it. Even though Estelle sent her a message to confirm she is doing well."

"You have to admit there's something fishy. First, she doesn't reply at all. Then she replies only once, and then nothing." Yuri crossed his arms pensively.

"Not to mention that you don't normally stay at your grandmother for so long when you have university to attend." Flynn added.

"That's basically what annoys Rita too." Karol noted.

"How about we go find her?" Yuri suggested.

"Estelle?"

"No, silly. Rita. You said she's literally living in the labs, and it's true I haven't seen her much this week."

"Oh." Karol lowered his head. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to disturb her. I heard she even snapped at her own professors when they came to tell her to leave."

"Now that's a big surprise." Yuri said, not sounding surprised the least bit. "Well, she needs to be reminded that she has exams coming soon. You show us the way, Karol?"

The boy hesitated a bit, but seeing that even Flynn seemed to approve, he got no choice but to comply. They walked to the Chemistry Department, where the labs were.

"It's this one." Karol pointed to a closed door, where a "DO NOT DISTURB" sign was stuck on it. "You're really sure you want to go in?"

"Yeah." Yuri replied as he knocked and opened the door, not even waiting for an answer.

The boys found Rita, her back turned to them, leant over the bench and obviously deep into some analyses. Around her were scattered erlenmeyer flasks, test tubes, beakers and various other items. There were also papers darkened with pencil scribbles. Yuri got closer carefully so as not to smash down anything, followed by Flynn. Karol chose to stay by the door, preventively. Before Yuri could say anything, however, a sharp and irritated voice rose:

"I'm busy here. If you have nothing important to do, leave."

"Good afternoon to you too, Rita." Yuri sneered, barely impressed by the girl's mood.

Rita let out an exasperated sigh and turned round. Yuri couldn't help but smiled mentally at the sight of her in her white lab coat, protective glasses and gloves. It was exactly how he had always imagined her, back then when they were still all living at the orphanage. The brunette removed her glasses, revealing green eyes that sent daggers at him.

"What do you want?" she asked with a hint of impatience.

"For a start, to make sure you aren't neglecting yourself with those experiments of yours." Yuri replied as he walked to the bench, giving a quick and curious glance at the mess on it.

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine."

"And we heard you had some news from Estellise?" Flynn inquired. Rita turned to him, her face darkening.

"Yeah, somehow. She sent me a message a few days ago. But since then, nothing. How the hell can you just stay at your grandmother's for so long and not say a damn thing about it?"

"She may have her reasons." Flynn said. "As I said, if something really happened to her, there would be high chances that it would hit the news."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Rita retorted gloomily.

"What do you mean?"

The girl turned back to her bench and searched for a paper which was buried under a few others. She grabbed it and handed it to Flynn. Both Yuri and Karol – who had finally decided to come near – read along with him.

"It's an article I printed two days ago." she explained.

The article was about some demonstrations that had taken place spontaneously in front of the tribunal after some trials prosecuted by Estelle's father. Nothing new or surprising there.

As if she had read their minds, Rita pointed out: "They say Estelle's dad has been deliberately rushing all the trials with obviously suspicious pieces of evidence, and they say both he and Alexei have bribed the judges and random people to give false testimonies."

"There's no proof of that." Flynn retorted.

"Look." Rita started counting on her fingers as she enumerated her arguments. "The last time Estelle actually acted normal with me was right before paying a visit to Alexei. Then there's the fact that her mother looked pretty uneasy to me when I talked to her. And finally, there's the fact that her father is doing crap even though he used to be an excellent lawyer. According to my research, at least." She crossed her arms. "How do you explain that?"

It was Yuri's turn to look gloomy. "I'd say you either have too much imagination, or Estelle is in real trouble."

"More like the latter." Rita let out dryly.

"Wait, wait, wait." Karol stepped in. "Are you saying that Alexei has something to do with this?"

"Of course he has!" the girl snapped. "Use your brain a bit. My hypothesis is that the guy has her father do whatever he orders him to do, and he's using her as a leverage."

"This is far-fetched." Yuri said. "Honestly, I have troubles believing it. It sounds really surrealistic."

"I agree with Yuri." Flynn nodded. "Though I have to admit your explanation does have some logic in it."

"Think whatever you want, I'm sure Estelle's in trouble. And I can't do a damn thing about it."

At that very same moment, her phone buzzed. Clicking her tongue of annoyance, she grabbed it and let out a small exclamation:

"It's Estelle!"

"What does she say?" Karol prompted her.

"Apparently, she's doing well." Rita said as she read the message. "Her grandmother fell sick so she has to stay and take care of her. She says hi to you guys."

"See? There was no need to be so worried." Karol said happily, but Rita didn't seem to share the happiness.

"I still think there's something fishy." she said. "I told her to phone me, but she just sends me very short messages, and she doesn't pick up when I call her."

"You have a point but I'm still sceptical." Yuri said.

"I feel the same as Yuri." Flynn intervened. "Do you have Estelle's grandmother's address? If you do, it would be easy to check if she's really where she says she is."

"I already thought of that." Rita replied. "But she didn't tell me anything about her grandmother. And I don't know where I can get that address."

"Ask her parents?" Karol suggested.

"I tried, dummy." Rita said sharply. "I went back to Estelle's house, but that butler didn't even let me past the entrance gates."

"Maybe he found you too annoying on the first time we came–Ouch!" Karol flinched as the girl hit him on the head.

"In any case, here I am, unable to do a damn thing to find out what is up with Estelle."

"And what exactly are you doing here?" Yuri changed the topic as he remembered why he was there in the first place.

This time, Rita actually pulled a stool from under the bench and sat down with a sigh.

"I'm trying to find the cause of the flu and a way to cure it."

"Sounds easy as pie." Yuri's remark earned him a glare from the young girl who snapped back at him:

"At least I'm trying! I'm sick of seeing Pia in that state while no one can do a damn thing to even identify the problem!"

That silenced Yuri. He looked away, visibly frustrated and probably hurt at his own powerlessness, and Flynn could clearly read it on his face. The blonde boy put a hand on his shoulder as a sign of support.

"How did you manage to obtain all this material to work with?" he inquired.

"I annoyed the director of my department a bit." Rita replied, and though it was untold, the three boys there understood immediately that 'a bit' meant that the said director must have gone through hell. "Now this lab is basically for my sole use, under the condition that I make progress and actually find something."

"Then how is it going?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Slowly. But I'm probably at the same level of results as all those guys who're meeting up to try and tackle the problem."

"What are you talking about?" Yuri frowned before catching a newspaper that Rita tossed at him.

"On page 9." she indicated.

"You keep yourself well informed." Flynn pointed out.

The girl shrugged. "I'm trying to gather all the information I can, it case there's something useful."

Yuri flipped the pages until he reached the right article and skimmed through it while Rita was explaining:

"Basically they decided that it may be a good idea to ask the most brilliant biologists and physicians to put in common their knowledge in order to find a solution on how to deal with the disease."

"Hey, is that... Duke Pantarei?" Flynn asked as he looked at the photo on the paper, intrigued. The picture was displaying all the brilliant minds who had gathered up to work together – nine of them – and among them was a familiar face to Flynn. The man had unmistakable long and white hair, with effeminate traits and a slender silhouette. The caption under the picture confirmed Flynn's guess. "What is he doing there?" he frowned.

"By Pantarei, you don't mean the guy who's making all those damn expensive perfumes, do you?" Karol asked as he leant over to gaze at the photograph as well.

"I do." Flynn nodded.

"What the hell is the CEO of a luxury products company doing there?" It was Yuri's turn to look puzzled.

A loud and exasperated sigh was heard. "Duke Pantarei hasn't always been into luxury products." Rita declared. "In fact, he only started in that industry about five years ago. Before that, he was a renowned biologist who worked in the most famous labs of the world."

"Seriously? Why did he quit?" Karol asked.

"Beats me. But the fact is, I'm actually quite interested in the results of their research, so I thought maybe you could help me, Flynn."

"Could I?" the blonde boy cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you said you met Duke Pantarei at a party. I was hoping you could introduce me to him."

"I did talk to him a bit, yes, but it didn't go further than that." Flynn said apologetically. "I'm not sure I can actually reach him."

Rita looked clearly disappointed. "Oh. Well I guess I was hoping for too much."

"But wait..." Flynn looked thoughtful. "There may be a way..."

"Really?" Rita's eyes shimmered.

"Well, I'm not promising anything, but I can try. I'll ask Sodia." Yuri stiffened at the name, but remained silent. Flynn didn't miss it, though. He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, she's good now. And her parents own one of the biggest pharmaceutical laboratories of the country, so chances are high they may have interesting connections."

"Well... I can't say I'm not interested," Rita said cautiously, "but you don't have to if you think that talking to her can be... delicate."

The blonde boy chuckled. "As I said, it's fine now. Don't worry about that. I'm sure Sodia will be more than happy to help."

"In that case, I'd be grateful if you could ask her." Rita stretched her arms, then stood up and put her glasses back on. "And now, I'll go back to work. So please get out, or don't bother me." she ordered.

"Talk about being nice..." Yuri muttered as he headed for the exit anyway. The two other boys followed him.

Once in the corridor, Karol grunted: "Told you, it's her nest there now, and no one is allowed to disturb her more than five minutes."

"I wonder if she'll actually manage to achieve some results." Yuri pondered very seriously. "I mean, I'm the first one who wants to see Pia healthy again, but can she really do something on her own?"

"That's why she asked for some help." Flynn said. "I'll have to see quickly with Sodia what she can do for Rita. Yuri, I guess you don't really feel like studying now?"

"I was planning to go to the hospital." the long-haired male replied.

"I'll go with you then."

"Me too!" Karol added.

Yuri smiled gratefully at them. Even though he didn't mention it, he never liked paying a visit to Pia alone; it always made him feel discouraged to see her lying on her bed and barely breathing, with him unable to do a damn thing to soothe the pain she was in. At least when Flynn was there, he knew he could count on him for support. And suddenly he felt fingers slipping along his hand and enclosing it reassuringly, as if Flynn had read his mind.

Yuri squeezed his hand back and graced his lover with yet another pleased smile.

* * *

><p>He entered the code on the panel almost mechanically, and the door slid open with a faint noise. As soon as he stepped inside, the lights were turned on automatically, casting a white – almost blinding – light on the room. In the middle, several screens and computers with large control panels were standing, linked to what looked at first glance like a long capsule of glass closed with a round lid.<p>

To him it was closer to a transparent coffin, with that body lying inside, unmoving. The regular pulses on the black screen next to the whole apparatus were the only indications that she was still alive. There was a thin layer of ice powder covering the inside of the capsule. _"Cold is best to slow down an organism's metabolism."_ he had been told. Her long and straight chestnut hair was covering the top half of her bust, and the white gown as well as the bright lighting of the room failed to enhance her already wan skin. Thin tubes were sprouting out of her limbs and her neck and were plugged on the inside of the capsule to some tanks filled with liquid beneath. He wasn't sure if their purpose was to drain her of the remnants of life she had left or to actually keep her breathing, though in that comatose state. Perhaps a bit of both.

It didn't matter to him, though. His fingers lingered on the cold glass lid that prevented him from touching that pale cheek of hers, from slipping them into her hair, from brushing against her dry lips. But he couldn't lift the lid; not as long as he wanted her to remain alive. Alexei had promised him he would find a way to wake her up definitely, the same way he had managed to wake him up when all the surgeons had given up on him.

Almost instinctively, he brought a hand to where his heart was supposed to be. The strong and regular beats he felt against his chest did nothing to fill up the emptiness of his mind. If only it was a heart of flesh that dwelt inside him, and not that... machine which was a constant reminder that he was alive only by the grace of a man who now held him in the palm of his hand...

A mere puppet. That was what he was now. _No_, he wanted to believe. He had _chosen_ to retrieve his former identity. For her. And for the promise he had made to _him_. It was his own choice. He was the only one left to protect her.

His lips stretched into a bitter smile. What an efficient protector he was!

Pitiful.

Yet it was the only path he saw in front of him. He would follow it until the end, even if it meant following it alone.

The face of a certain blue-haired woman smiling mischievously at him flashed in his head, but for half a heartbeat only.

He shook his head. Not her. He couldn't involve another person in his own troubles. Especially when that person was so dear to him.

His eyes – though one was veiled by a strand of dark grey hair – gazed back at the slim face of the woman inside the capsule. He would have given that fake heart in him just to see her open her eyes and smile at him, and say his name.

"_Rav..."_

He clenched his fists. No, not that name. It wasn't his name anymore. Now, he was Damuron Atomais. With one last glance, he turned round and exited the room.

* * *

><p>Sodia put her cup of tea back on the saucer, blinking as she listened to Flynn. The latter had invited her to a trendy tea house, and though she hadn't expected that it was for the sheer pleasure of seeing her, she definitely didn't suspect such a request.<p>

"Well... I guess that shouldn't be impossible." she said after a few seconds. She crossed her arms and started playing with her braid. "I'll ask my father about that. But does your friend really hope to find something?" she asked, doubtful.

"I have no idea. I just know that her teachers consider her a genius enough to give her free access to all the facilities she needs."

"Oh really? Then I'll see what I can do for her. I can't promise anything, though. Duke Pantarei is a particularly busy person, especially right now."

"I understand. I'm sorry to bother you like that." Flynn apologized, but Sodia shook her head and smiled.

"Don't worry about that. I'm actually happy I can be of any help. I'll ask my father today if he can get us in touch with Duke."

"How are your parents doing, anyway?"

Sodia opened her mouth to answer, but then she closed it again and pursed her lips, looking away.

"I-I'm sorry, maybe it was an appropriate question." Flynn said hastily, unsure of her reaction.

"No, no! It's just that... I thought I told you." Sodia sighed. "My mother has been hospitalized for a month now."

Flynn opened his eyes wide. "Don't tell me it's..." The girl nodded.

"Yes, the flu. Or whatever it is." she said, lowering her head.

"I didn't hear anything about that! Not even in the news."

"That's because my father wanted it to remain unknown, as much as possible. We are not hiding it, but neither do we need the journalists to make a fuss about it. I guess you've seen the reactions when some other firms' leaders fell sick?"

"Panic." Flynn nodded. "How are you faring with this?" he asked, his voice full of concern. "You don't look too... affected by it?"

"Ah well... As I said, it's been a month now, so I think I calmed down a bit." Sodia replied, though her traits didn't reflect any joy. "And we still have a company to run. I think my father has it the toughest, and I can't afford letting him down. We go and visit her once a week, but since she's sleeping..." she didn't finish her sentence.

"I'm really sorry about it. I wish something could be done about it." Flynn said sincerely.

"Don't you think it's ironical?" Sodia asked bitterly. "We have one of the most developed research laboratories in pharmacology, and yet we can't even find a treatment to a mere flu." she sighed again. "Anyway, I told myself not to let things get me down. I'm too busy for that anyway."

"Don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't." Sodia took a last sip from her cup and put it back on the table. "Well, I'll have to excuse myself now. It was really nice talking to you, and I'm sorry I couldn't spend more time with you, but I need to go back to work."

"I understand. I'm the one who should apologize for taking some of your time."

"It's nothing! It was a nice break." Sodia smiled as she stood up. "I will get in touch with you as soon as I have news from Duke Pantarei."

"Thank you again."

Flynn paid the bill and accompanied her outside. The weather was particularly warm today, and he waited with her for the taxi she had called. She waved at him one last time before leaving.

_Well, one good thing done._ Flynn thought. He was inwardly happy to see that Sodia had really changed, and in a good way. He simply hoped her mother's condition didn't weight too much on her.

* * *

><p>Another day of school came to an end with a darkening sky and the usual hubbub that always accompanied the students' rush to the university's gates.<p>

"Normally you'd go to your fencing session." Yuri noted as he was following the flow.

"I don't have much time for that now." Flynn replied with a sigh.

"You don't even play the violin anymore?"

"At home. Whenever I need a break. But I'm not in the orchestra anymore."

"I kinda miss listening to your playing." Yuri said thoughtfully.

"Do you? You only heard me play two, maybe three times." Flynn chuckled.

Yuri shrugged. "Well, it was enough for me to get addicted."

"I'll play for you again soon." Flynn promised with a smile.

"You'd better... Anyway, we're almost at the school's gates." Yuri said.

It was a sort of habit now. Whenever they finished their classes at the same time, they would walk back together and stop before getting too close to the gates. Then they would continue on separate ways, to avoid being seen together outside the university. But as days passed, Flynn found it to be more and more ridiculous. His parents knew he was still seeing him anyway – it was the reason why they wanted to send him abroad, after all – though they still ignored the truth of his relationship with Yuri. But the fact remained the same: did he still care about being seen with Yuri?

The answer came to him as naturally as breathing. And he had made up his mind as far as his parents were concerned. He had nothing to be afraid of anymore. That's why his reply wasn't the one Yuri expected:

"Let's walk together."

The long-haired male turned a pair of surprised eyes to him, and Flynn almost burst out laughing at the sight of his face.

"Would you prefer that I left you alone?" he asked with feigned courtesy.

"No, but aren't we supposed to–"

"I don't care." Flynn let out, his face turning serious. "Honestly, I don't care anymore." Then, smiling again, he added: "Don't worry. My parents won't be able to do anything to me."

Yuri raised an eyebrow, looking half-hopeful, half-incredulous. "Do you mean you found a way for them to leave you alone?"

"You could say so, yes." Flynn replied enigmatically.

"You don't plan to tell me more about it, do you?"

The blonde boy shook his head. "Don't worry." he repeated. "Shall we go now?"

"Huh, sure." Yuri nodded, though his face was displaying obvious curiosity. After a few seconds, he went on with a hint of hesitation: "Say... how about you drop at my place then? We haven't had dinner together for a while." His cheeks flushed slightly, which didn't go unnoticed by Flynn. The latter couldn't help but smile, and kissed Yuri on the cheek.

"Is it because it's my turn that you're making the offer?" he asked, almost surprised at his own boldness. Yuri's reaction was to glare at him, though Flynn knew he was only pretending to.

"And here I was, innocently wishing to spend a nice evening with you." he said with a tone that didn't convince anyone.

"I would have had less trouble believing you if you hadn't mentioned your innocence." Flynn teased him. "But in any case, I'll accept your invitation."

Yuri gave him a broad smile and a quick peck on the lips. To him, it felt like ages since the last time he had actually spent a real, quiet evening with Flynn. For the first time in ages, they walked back together, not caring the last bit if they were being watched by agents hired by Flynn's mother. They made a detour by the grocery before heading for Yuri's place. Given the ingredients Yuri had bought, Flynn had a hunch that the dinner would be particularly to his taste. Not that he had been disappointed by Yuri's cooking before, mind you.

As soon as he stepped into the studio on the last storey of the building, the blonde male felt immediately at home. He was already looking forward to the dinner and was about to offer whatever help he could provide, but it seemed that Yuri had other plans in mind. The latter barely left enough time for Flynn to remove his coat before grabbing him by the collar and capturing his lips in a not-so-gentle manner. Though he was taken off guard at first, Flynn quickly composed himself and kissed back, feeling a sudden rush of desire in him. The fact that Yuri moved his hips against his in a very inviting way didn't help him cool down.

"Yu–ngh..." Yuri's mouth was incredibly skilled at stifling any protest from his lover. Today wasn't an exception. Before he even realized it, he was pushed back on the bed, with Yuri straddling him and biting his neck while his fingers had already found their ways inside to the buttons of his jacket. Flynn wanted to feel more; he definitely did, and his own body was starting to betray him. Yuri's hot breath against his skin made him sigh of delight and he found himself pulling the boy closer to him, tasting him and touching him with obvious eagerness. The situation could get out of control very soon if Flynn didn't come back to his senses quickly. Taking advantage of a moment when Yuri took back his breath, he slipped two fingers over Yuri's lips and smiled at the latter's pout.

"How about we wait until after dinner?" he suggested.

"It's barely 6. There's plenty of time before dinner." Yuri retorted. "And you're already too far in the mood to stop now." he added with a smirk as he lowered his eyes.

Though Flynn felt more blood rush to his cheeks, he didn't dare contradict his lover, nor did he raise any objection when Yuri let him lead the dance.

Dinner would wait.

* * *

><p>The sight of the black car parked down the street as both boys exited the small block of flats was enough to instantly kill Yuri's mood. His fists clenched unconsciously while he wished with all his might that it was simply just some random car which happened to look exactly like that of Flynn's mother. <em>Yeah, right. As if.<em> The day had barely begun and it was already spoiled for Yuri. He along with Flynn had finally managed to spend an enjoyable evening – and an even more enjoyable night – together, was it too much to ask for more than a few hours of respite?

Yet, as he glanced at Flynn, he noticed that the latter didn't look troubled at all. Perhaps Yuri had mistaken the car then?

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." Flynn said with a reassuring smile, giving the confirmation that Yuri was right, after all.

As they walked closer to the car, the door opened, and to both boys' surprise, it wasn't Flynn's mother who stepped out of it, but a tall man, sharing the same blonde hair as Flynn.

"Father, I didn't expect to see you here." Flynn said with a pretty much normal voice.

"Good morning, Flynn." his father replied formally. He turned to Yuri and nodded at him, showing neither signs of approval or disapproval, which was already not too bad. "I'm afraid I will have to borrow Flynn for now." he said.

"I'll join you later." Flynn smiled at Yuri. "You go first."

"Alright." Yuri said, slightly wary. Flynn looked confident, he thought. He might as well trust him on this matter.

The blonde boy waited for Yuri to be far enough before addressing his father:

"I thought you had already left."

"I have changed my schedule a bit because I wished to discuss a few things with you."

"I'm listening."

"You know that you are flying abroad in two weeks, don't you?" As Flynn remained silent, his father went on with a sigh: "Even though I understand that you may want to spend your last days here with your friends, I think it would be better for you if you stopped seeing them right now."

"Is it what Mother think as well?" Flynn asked dryly, but his father shook his head.

"I do not know what goes through her mind, and I am not here on her behalf. Actually, she doesn't know that I am here. Though she will soon enough, since I sent her men back." He sighed again. "I find the mere idea of having you watched utterly ridiculous. But still, I have to agree with her on several points. First, that boy with whom you hang out."

"His name is Yuri." Flynn interrupted him.

"Yuri, yes. I'm sure he is a good lad, and I certainly don't have anything against your making friends, but it is not reasonable for you to get so close with people who won't give you anything in return."

"I think there has always been a sort of misunderstanding in that family of mine." Flynn said lightly. "Apparently you all tend to think that a 'friend' is someone who allows you to make profit, one way or another. I'm afraid that is not my definition of friendship."

His father's face hardened a bit. "You will understand soon enough that you will need friends who bring you profits. Otherwise you will be the one who'll be taken advantage of."

"I know how to choose my friends."

"I don't doubt it, but you may want not to look so close to that Yuri boy. It seems like you often spend the nights at each other's place. Kids do that, not grown people. It could be misinterpreted."

The tone wasn't severe; it could actually almost sound concerned, but Flynn didn't like the content anyway.

"Misinterpreted? How?" he asked, pretending not to understand. It made his father look slightly uneasy.

"It could be thought that your relationship is not exactly friendship." the latter replied, remaining as composed as possible.

The way his father had put it irritated Flynn to no end. Was it so hard for him to say things straightly? It was when he decided to drop the first bomb. Crossing his arms, he cast a defiant look at his father.

"And what if indeed, it wasn't exactly friendship?"

His father frowned. "Flynn, don't try to play that kind of game with me."

"I'm afraid I consider this a game about as much as you do."

"You don't mean..."

"But I do. So I'm asking again: what if Yuri and I weren't mere friends?"

The silence he earned made Flynn beam inwardly. A storm was preparing itself, but Flynn still had cards to play. He saw his father struggling to remain collected and somehow admired him for that. If it had been his mother, she would have burst out since the very beginning.

"Flynn, are you serious?" he asked slowly, staring straight into Flynn's eyes.

The latter didn't flinch. "It could be."

"I'm warning you: if you're telling me this just to make me angry–"

"I'm not."

There silence again, during which they merely stared at each other, until Flynn's father gave up and pinched the bridge of his nose. There was a crease between his eyebrows, and Flynn had no trouble guessing that he was trying to repress the rising irritation in him.

"You will stop seeing him as of now." he commanded. "This kind of farce won't do you any good."

"I refuse."

"Flynn!" his father snapped briskly. "I have been patient until now, but you have to cease with those absurdities. Think of your name, for Lord's sake! When you inherit our company, your image will have to be as clean as can be."

"Are you saying that loving someone would soil me?" Flynn asked, anger sparkling in his eyes.

"Those petty games of yours have nothing to do with loving anybody." The tone was icy.

"I actually wonder if you are the most suited to talk about that kind of subject." Flynn let out with an equal tone. "It has never seemed so obvious to me that you and Mother actually love each other."

The slap came without a warning. The street wasn't desert, but the few passer-bys merely glanced out of curiosity before going on their ways. Flynn rubbed his left cheek, but somehow he didn't feel any resentment towards his father for the gesture. Perhaps it was because he knew that he had already won the game.

"Simply because your mother and I are often apart doesn't give you the right to utter such nonsense. We are a family, and you have absolutely no right to insult your parents like that."

"I was simply stating a fact." Flynn replied. "I apologize if I misunderstood the relationship between the both of you."

"I love your mother, and the feeling is mutual." his father repeated coldly. "But do not change the topic. As I said before, you cannot allow yourself to do any mistake if you are to become my successor. And being young isn't an excuse to your problem."

"Oh but Father, I don't plan to find any excuse. And I think you stated the solution to my 'problem' quite clearly." Flynn's heart beat more strongly against his chest. The second bomb was about to be dropped.

"What do you mean?"

It was now or never.

"You said it yourself: 'if' I were to become your successor." Flynn declared, making sure to detach each of his words so that his father could hear them clearly. "The fact is, I do not wish to take over the company. Nor do I wish to go and study abroad. I want to stay here with my friends, and with Yuri. And if you have anything to say against that, I will make official papers stating that I give up any right I may have as your son. I'll relinquish my name if that is the only way for me to choose how I handle my life. I have cousins, you can choose one among them who will satisfy you more than me."

Flynn watched with satisfaction as he saw his father successively widen his eyes, turn crimson and then open his mouth without a single word escaping it. The deed was done. Now he couldn't turn back, even if he wanted to. The only path for him now was one of determination, with no more hesitation.

"Flynn..." he said with a dangerously low tone. "You are lucky this is neither the time nor the place to teach you some manners. However, I will have you stop this madness at once. You do not know what you are saying anymore." His trembling fists betrayed his mask of apparent coolness.

"I fear that I actually do know." Flynn acted as if he didn't notice it. "It was nice of you to have come here, because I was looking for an opportunity to tell you. Please do inform Mother about this. And now if you'll excuse me, I still have some classes to attend and a few exams to study."

"We are not done talking!" Flynn's father retorted, grabbing his son by the shoulder. He sighed loudly, tightening his grip. "Flynn, you are an outstanding young man who has a brilliant career awaiting you. Have you thought of the consequences of your actions?"

"Over and over again. And I won't change my mind." the boy replied firmly.

"Are you really serious about that Yuri boy?"

Flynn nodded.

At that moment, something unexpected happened, leaving even Flynn bewildered. His father's tone suddenly softened, and the next words he pronounced were ones Flynn would remember even years later:

"This may not be the most appropriate situation to say this, but I'll tell you anyway. You are my only son, and I will not suffer losing my only son. Even if I wasn't as present as I wish I had, the fact remains the same. I want you to remain my son, even if you don't want to take over the company. I want to still be able to call you my son. And I certainly don't need any of your cousins as a replacement. Only your mother can think of something so twisted."

It was Flynn's turn to widen his eyes in surprise. Was his father actually trying to tell him that he did matter to him, even a little? He tried examining the traits of his face, but saw nothing that could have branded him a liar. And no matter what, Flynn had the conviction that a man such as his father was not the kind of person to lie about their feelings. For a second, words failed him. He hadn't expected his plan to work so well. He composed himself soon enough, though.

"I cannot remain your son if you don't allow me to make my own choices." he said with caution.

The reply was immediate. "Then I'll allow you to."

"You would?" Flynn asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Again, his father sighed. "Yes, I would. Flynn, I only want the best for you. And though I still think you are making a big mistake, I don't want to dictate your life to you."

"Mother won't agree to all of this, though."

"Of course she won't. I myself do not agree with this."

Flynn kept silent, as there was nothing to reply.

"Well, I don't want to keep you here any longer. Go to school before you are too late." his father said wearily. "However, we will have another discussion about this. And by then I hope you come back to your senses."

"I'll take my leave, then." Flynn merely replied.

Later, when he finally met up with Yuri, it was with a broad grin that he summarized the conversation:

"Everything's all right."

* * *

><p>Night had fallen for hours, yet light was still on in one of the university's labs. Her eyes stuck to the computer screen, Rita was playing with her pencil nervously and impatiently. One hand was on the mouse, scrolling down a page of news, though she wasn't really focused on the headlines she was reading. She glanced for the hundredth time at the phone on table, just to be sure she hadn't missed any call.<p>

What was she nervous for anyway? It was simply a call, and it wasn't as if she was easily intimidated by anyone. Still, this time, it wasn't 'anyone' who was about to phone. She checked the time. He was five minutes.

_Well, he did say 'around 9 pm',_ she thought. And he was probably very busy. She was already lucky to have obtained an appointment with him. She refreshed the page of news, and thought her heart was about to stop. A new article had just popped up, and its title was the last thing she wanted to read – and the first thing she had been fearing.

"_The three first victims of the flu."_

She clicked on it, but didn't have time to read past the two first lines as the sound of her phone ringing made her jump. The number was unknown. Picking up her device hastily, she managed to utter with a controlled voice:

"Rita Mordio speaking."

"_Good evening, Miss Mordio. I am Duke Pantarei. I believe Miss Verna must have informed you of my call."_

The brunette took in a deep breath. "Yes, she has. Thank you for giving me some of your time."

* * *

><p>The door opened with a faint sound, and Damuron wouldn't have noticed anything if it hadn't been for the determined footsteps he heard in his back.<p>

"Here again? Do you actually spend all your free time in this room?" the familiar deep voice asked him.

"With all due respect, what I do during my free time shouldn't be of any concern to you, Commandant Alexei." Damuron replied.

"Well, well. No need to get so worked up, Raven. I just think it is not healthy for you to stay here all the time."

"Please don't call me by that name."

"As you wish." Alexei replied with a shrug.

"When do you plan to wake her up?"

"As soon as her state is stabilized."

"It has been years now. Will she even stabilize?"

"Is it doubt I hear? Don't worry. I managed to save both you and Yeager, after all. I'll save Casey as well."

Damuron turned back to Alexei and walked past him to the exit. As they crossed, the former murmured:

"You'd better."

The door closed behind him, leaving Alexei alone in the room. The man walked closer to the capsule and looked at the woman inside.

"Beautiful woman you are, yet it was cruel of you to capture two men's hearts the way you did." His lips curled up in a weary smile. "But it is for the greater good."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx**

******A/N: Ahem. I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter, but no matter how many nights I spent on it, I didn't find how to turn it better o_o So anyway, thank you very much if you're still reading, and a big thank you to those who give a bit of their time to drop a review. *frolics away*  
><strong>


	35. March 4th to 15th

**March 4****th**** to 15****th**

Some beds had been emptied, Yuri noticed as he gazed through the glass pane, and it wasn't hard to guess that it was definitely not because the patients had been cured. Pia was still there though, and he could hardly decide if it was good or bad news.

"You come here almost every day, don't you?" a gentle and familiar voice said behind his back.

Yuri turned around and saw the school's nurse, Judith, carrying several folders in her arms. She was smiling at him, yet exhaustion was visible all over her face. It was the same for all the other nurses and doctors, but it still looked strange to Yuri, as he was used to seeing Judith always pimped up.

"Whenever I can." he replied as he turned his attention back inside the room. "How is she?"

"There is worse."

The answer made Yuri force a laugh. "I suppose you're not wrong there."

"Do you want to go inside?" Judith asked.

"I thought visitors weren't allowed inside." Yuri said, frowning at her.

She smiled wearily. "Oh, now they are. At first we forbade anyone from entering because there were just too many people. As you may have noticed, there aren't many visitors now. They're either sick themselves, or just drop by once a fortnight or so." she paused for a second. "Or they have no one to visit anymore. No one has much hope about all this anyway."

It was true. The hospital had gone much quieter for the past few weeks, and the number of deceased patients kept increasing every day.

"How about contamination?" Yuri inquired.

Judith shrugged. "People keep getting sick despite all our prevention measures, so it was decreed that the disease doesn't spread through normal ways. That is to say, it is not a contagious disease."

Yuri stared at her with wide eyes. "Are you serious there?"

"We don't know anything about this disease except that we can't do anything about it. So you may as well go in and say hi to Pia."

The long-haired boy didn't hesitate and nodded. He followed the nurse inside and each step he made to Pia's bed seemed to be harder than the previous one. He had been used to standing outside and watching over her silhouette from afar, yet now, he was allowed to see her from a much closer spot, and he felt a knot in his throat at the perspective.

Pia had always been a healthy woman with her round cheeks always tainted with faint pink, her rich chestnut hair falling heavily on her shoulders and shapes that reflected her good appetite. Now it was someone twenty years older who Yuri was looking at, with a pale and bony face, and dull strands of hair scattered around her. Her dry lips were slightly parted, and the very faint sound of her breathing was the only indication that she still belonged to this world. Yuri almost didn't recognize her. His fingers brushed over her lukewarm cheek, a pained expression flashing on his face.

A hand rested on his shoulder, squeezing it sympathetically.

"She's lucky to have you around." Judith said softly.

"As if." Yuri replied bitterly. "If only there was something I could do."

"We all wish there was, Yuri." she said, but it didn't console him.

None of them spoke a word for a while, until Judith finally broke the silence:

"I'll leave you alone with her."

"No, it's fine. I'll be leaving as well."

"You can stay a bit longer if you want."

"It's fine." Yuri repeated. Inwardly, he wanted to hit himself for his cowardice; because it was nothing but cowardice that was prompting to get out of this room as quickly as possible. Standing among those motionless bodies was making him sick, and above all, seeing Pia in such a decaying state was simply unbearable.

Apparently, Judith felt the uneasiness as she nodded and patted his shoulder again. As soon as they exited the room, Yuri changed the topic:

"How's the old man?"

To Judith's puzzled look, he added: "Raven Schwann."

"Oh." was the woman's first reaction. "He doesn't seem to be very... active, you could say." she said with a sigh. "Though he told me he's considering teaching again."

"He'd come back to the university?"

Judith shook her head. "I've no idea. Try asking him, maybe you'll have more chance than me."

Was it bitterness Yuri perceived in her tone? "The old man didn't bother replying to my messages." he grunted.

"I didn't get much better results, believe me. Now if you'll excuse me, I still need to attend to some patients." Judith added apologetically.

"Yeah, sorry for taking some of your time."

As they parted, Yuri shoved his hands in his pockets and headed for the exit, his mind trying to dismiss the image of the frail Pia, in vain. As he walked passed the main hall though, he noticed that the TV in the waiting room was turned on, and he saw an unpleasantly familiar face. The volume wasn't loud but the images were significant enough for him to grasp the main points. He walked closer anyway and watched along with a few other people who were sitting there.

"_New demonstrations in front of the Police Department have disrupted traffic downtown and brought about violent quarrels between demonstrators and the police forces."_ Footages of crowds holding signs in front of the police headquarters were being shown, most of the signs displaying messages of protest against Alexei's methods to deal with criminality. _"Families are rebelling against the legal system, asserting that most sentences are completely unfounded. Alexei's "mass-trialling" has first been considered as an efficient mean to lock up real criminals, but now abuse and excess seem to be very common."_ The next footage showed Alexei Dinoia giving a press conference with bodyguards on both his sides, as well as that strange tanned-skinned man – Damuron Atomais. _"Peace cannot be achieved without drastic measures! It is only through severity that we can dissuade people from breaking the law. I hear your protests, and I know it must be tough for you who have relatives or friends locked up. I understand that you favour your bonds over justice, but I ask all of you who disagree with me to understand me as well. You trusted me to bring peace to this nation, and I plan to do so. Through permissiveness, nothing can be achieved. I have accepted to carry the heavy burden of __being assimilated to a heartless man, but everything I do, I do for our nation's sake."_

Yuri gritted his teeth. How dared he spout such enormities with such ease? Whenever he saw that man's face, his fists were itching. But more troubling was the man standing by his side. The more Yuri looked at him, the more he was certain he had seen him somewhere, and it frustrated him all the more as he couldn't put his finger on where he had seen him.

"_Alexei Dinoia did not wish to comment on the several people who were injured during the demonstrations. So far, a total of 18 injured were reported, including three in a serious state. Demonstrations have broken out in several other cities..."_

Yuri strode out of the place, deeming it wiser before he was tempted to smash the TV screen to bits.

* * *

><p>Flynn stared at his screen in sheer disbelief. He watched and re-watched those few seconds over and over again, just to make sure his eyes and ears weren't deceiving him. He leant against the back of his chair, his arms crossed, his lips pursed. This couldn't be... And yet it was. He had kept on spying – how he hated the word – on his mother just in case he needed something more convincing than giving up his name. Yet this was the last thing he had expected to discover.<p>

And though the discovery somehow displeased him, it barely surprised him. And the thought that he wasn't even surprised rendered the whole situation even sadder. How normal was it to see his own mother kissing a man who wasn't his father?

Flynn pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes tight, trying to empty his mind which was actually already quite void. When he opened them again, the image was still there: that man who had stepped into her office and shut the door, the surprised look on his mother's face, the few words exchanged before she finally smiled and wrapped her arms around the man's neck... Flynn shut his eyes again. Never before had he seen her smile that way at his father, nor show such blatant signs of affection.

"Damn it..." he murmured as he dropped his head on the table, burying it in his arms. Slowly, very slowly, he seemed to realize the implications of what he had just seen. Was he supposed to rejoice? Was he supposed to be dejected? He wasn't certain. The threads were still tangled in his mind, and the picture wasn't yet clear; but he knew one thing for sure: this was going to stir big waves.

He failed to notice his fingers trembling lightly as he grabbed the mouse to shut the window.

* * *

><p>"Uncle Alexei, please stop this madness." the girl implored, on the verge of tears.<p>

The man looked at her severely. "I am doing this for the greater good. You of all people should be grateful that I dirty my hands for you."

"I-I don't understand." Estellise replied weakly. "How is hurting people any good? How can I be grateful that you destroy so many families while pretending that it is in the name of justice? There is no justice in anything you do!"

"Be quiet, Estellise." Alexei ordered coldly. "As expected, you are still too naïve to comprehend my actions. The country – no, the whole world has a need for order, and order can only be achieved through authority. You live in peace thanks to it."

"Your authority rests on lies and deception! Your force my father into lowering himself, into acting against justice!" Estelle let out in despair. "So far I see nothing but mess and chaos! I have watched the news, people are demonstrating against you. Where is that order you speak of?"

"Populations are like children being scolded by their parents. At first they don't understand why they are scolded and think that their parents are cruel, and it is only afterwards that they realize that it was for their own good." Alexei replied, barely troubled by Estelle's fit.

"This has nothing to do with scolding a child! You make people _suffer_ through your actions."

"Some sacrifices are necessary."

"You are horrible!" Estelle clenched her fists and for a second she seemed to forget herself. "I will stop you!"

"Will you?" Alexei cocked an eyebrow, amused. "How?"

"First, I'll get out of this prison." the girl said, dead serious. At the very same instant, she made a rush to the windows behind her, grabbing a chair on her way. She swung it toward the window as Alexei shouted 'Estellise!'. She wasn't quick enough though, nor was she strong enough for her one blow to break the glass. Khroma – who had remained in a corner of the room, as usual – had sprung forward and stopped her arm. She swiftly wrung the chair out of Estelle's hands before immobilizing her. The pink-haired girl winced in pain but she didn't have time to say anything as Alexei strode to her angrily and slapped her.

"Idiotic girl! What exactly did you think you were doing?" he barked. "Do you think you could escape so easily? I have treated you kindly as your godfather, but apparently you prefer a rougher treatment." He turned to Khroma: "Lock her in the basement and leave her alone. That will give her time to ponder on her behaviour."

The blue-haired woman looked troubled. "She did it on an impulse. I'm sure she already regrets it."

"Do you dare discuss my orders, Khroma?" Alexei asked icily.

She lowered her eyes. "No, of course not. I'll will take her to the basement right away."

"I must leave now." Alexei glanced at Estelle. "I have an appointment with your dear father for lunch, to make sure he still does his job."

As soon as the door slammed behind him, Khroma knelt down, facing Estelle. The girl's left cheek was a bright red and her eyes were shiny with tears.

"Are you OK?" Khroma inquired, though it was hard to determine whether she was actually concerned or not. When Estelle nodded, she went on: "Commandant Dinoia has much to deal with and has been quicker to snap lately. You should be careful with your words and your actions."

"But what he is doing is unforgivable." Estelle replied, biting her lip.

"But you cannot do anything against him."

"I will try anyway. I don't know how yet, but I will keep trying." Estelle declared, her tone surprisingly firm.

Khroma didn't reply. Instead she took the girl to the basement.

Several days passed, and every day Khroma would go down the basement to bring Estelle her meals and talk with her. And every day Estelle would tell her that Alexei's deeds had to be stopped somehow. She would also talk about her friends, about Flynn, about Yuri and Karol and Rita. Especially Rita, a hot-headed girl who always spoke her mind and was a sort of scientist genius. Once, as Khroma was bringing her food, she decided to take the initiative of the conversation:

"I've made some research about your friends."

Estelle, who was reading on the bed – there was a bed – looked surprised. "Have you? Why?"

"I wanted to know a bit more about them, since you talk about them all the time."

"Oh." Estelle had no idea what else to reply.

"Yuri Lowell is a particularly interesting fellow." Khroma said lightly, almost as if she was talking to herself.

"Is he? Why do you say so?"

"He has had... a rather interesting life, you could say."

Estelle wasn't able to learn more about it.

* * *

><p>Exams period started, reminding the students that life kept going on despite all the turmoil that was shaking the world. Yuri noticed empty seats here and there in his own examination room, and the mood was gloomier than usual. What else could be expected? More and more people were dying because of the virus, and more and more riots were reported everywhere in the country; sometimes they were violent enough to damage entire neighbourhoods, and casualties were piling up.<p>

Still, for now Yuri was but a mere student who had to sit his exams like any other normal student. Two hours passed before he decreed that he had done enough to pass, and when he stood up to hand his paper, the teacher didn't even look surprised. Now there were two hours left for Yuri to kill before he could meet up with Flynn and the others for lunch, and he chose to spend them at a place he hadn't stepped in for quite a while: the Square 9.

The walk there was actually pleasant, with the weather warming up and a barely clouded sun to lighten the day. The streets were almost empty at this hour, which Yuri didn't mind at all. A few mothers with pushchairs were shopping, an old lady tried crossing the road – with Yuri's help – while some students who didn't have any exam were chatting at a nearby café. The Square 9's sign appeared at the corner of the street, no different from before. As soon as Yuri pushed the door open, someone called his name:

"Yuri! It's been a long time!"

Yuri smiled at the young waitress who was cleaning a table. "Hey Melody, what's up?" But the sole answer he received was a tea towel thrown at his face, which he ducked gracefully. "Hey, hey, that's no way to greet a customer!" he grunted.

"That's my way of greeting someone who suddenly quitted without even a goodbye." Melody replied, both fists on her hips.

"Quitted?" Yuri frowned. "Oh, that's what he told you." he muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind. Anyway, am I still eligible to order a drink?"

"Of course you are. It won't be on the house, though. That'll teach you to disappear like that."

"I did say I'd _order_ the drink." Yuri retorted sullenly.

"Just kidding. So, what have you been doing all this time? And why did you left?" the waitress asked as she walked round the bar – there was a new employee there cleaning some glasses. "That's our new recruit." she said, patting on the boy's shoulder who nodded shyly.

Yuri greeted him back. "I haven't been doing anything worth mentioning. Just the usual stuff, you know. Studying, studying and studying. I'll have caffe latte."

"One caffe latte, then. And you didn't answer my second question."

"Hm? Oh, that. How about you ask your boss for the details?" Yuri suggested lightly.

"I did, but he just stuttered something like you were too busy to work here." Melody shrugged. "I don't believe that."

"Why?"

"Because I figured you're the kind to slack all day long, no way you're too busy to work. And you were the one who told me you needed money for your rent and stuff. So, are you working somewhere else?"

_The rent. Darn._ Yuri had received a letter a few days ago to remind him of his latest rent, and if he were to pay that one, it wouldn't leave him much to eat. He had already thought of going back to the orphanage, or the lower quarters. He would be able to work there, at least.

Or he could take Flynn up on his offer and move to his place.

"Nah, for now I'm taking a break. And I do happen to be busy." he added with an offended tone, which made Melody laugh.

"Here's your coffee." she merely replied. "Too bad Josh's shift starts in a few hours only. He would have been happy to see you. Oh wait, I'll call the boss so he can say hi."

"No, it's fine." Yuri replied hastily. "I mean, no need to bother him. And I won't be staying here for long anyway."

"Don't you dare eat and run." Melody said threateningly.

Yuri sighed. "Of course not."

They spent the new few sips talking about everything and nothing, until he was reminded that time could fly by very quickly. He soon bid Melody goodbye – after paying the bill – and headed back to the school.

* * *

><p>Given the weather, all of them agreed to stay outside to eat what Yuri had prepared for everyone. There were wooden tables and benches in the university's park, and it was no trouble finding a free one.<p>

"Seriously, all those exams are a waste of time." Rita complained as she took the lunch box that Yuri handed her. "People have better stuff to do than sit at a table and write stupid things during four hours."

"Brilliant as you are, you could have finished in two hours like Yuri." Karol teased her.

"Don't compare me to this slacker." the girl snorted. "It took me an hour to finish."

Karol stared at her incredulously; Flynn also cocked an eyebrow at her, while Yuri merely dug in his lunch box. "You're kidding me, right? After four hours I still wasn't done!" the youngest boy said, earning a shrug from Rita.

"Hey, you look like an idiot next to her, Flynn." Yuri teased his neighbour who punched him back lightly in the shoulder.

"If you were done, why didn't you leave?" Flynn addressed Rita as he pretended to ignore Yuri sticking out his tongue.

"Because all the lab rooms are closed during exam times." the brunette replied sullenly. "They refused to make an exception for me. The labs are open during lunch time and after 5 pm though."

"I'm surprised you have deigned to have lunch with us instead of seeking refuge in your lab." Yuri pointed out.

"Only because you said you'd make the food."

"How's your research doing anyway?"

"I'm making some progress. Slowly but still." Rita turned to Flynn. "Thanks again for helping me out. I was able to get in touch with Duke Pantarei."

"You're welcome. Did it go fine with him?" Flynn inquired.

"I suppose so. I sent him a few of my results and he said he was interested in my work." She suddenly looked thoughtful. "He also told me they are convinced that the cause of the disease is a contagious virus. But I still have doubts about it."

"Why?"

"I made several tests which didn't give any result to confirm it's a virus. But I need to keep researching to find out more about it."

"Most people are convinced it's a virus, though. Is it possible that your tests were wrong somehow?" Yuri asked, earning himself a furious glare from the girl.

"As if." she snapped. "But with those exams and other craps going on, I barely have time to do further tests."

"How about Estelle?" Flynn suddenly remembered. "Did you have any news from her?"

The girl bit her lip. "Yeah. She actually phoned me yesterday."

"See! She's fine then!" Karol exclaimed. "I keep telling you so!"

"Is she back? I mean, she must have exams too, right?" Yuri observed.

"Well, that's the point." Rita replied. "She said she needs to take care of her grandmother because there's no one else who can do it. She'll take the re-exams in June."

"What the hell? Somehow, this sounds completely fishy." Yuri grunted.

"So you finally realize that there really is something wrong?"

"I have to admit I didn't want to believe it until now, but I'm having more and more trouble denying it."

"The fact that she is related to Alexei doesn't help." Flynn nodded. "We must go see her parents. They must know something."

"They won't tell us." Yuri said gloomily. "You said it yourself. If they had wanted anyone to know, it would have been on the news already."

"Then what?"

Yuri seemed to ponder on the solutions for a moment before he finally spoke, choosing his words carefully:

"I could try asking Altosk to dig into that and–"

"Altosk? Do you mean Don Whitehorse?" Flynn cut him in abruptly. "Yuri, that's not a good idea."

"Why?"

"You shouldn't get involved with them anymore."

"They helped us back then." Yuri reminded him with slight annoyance.

"I know, and that's one more reason why you shouldn't ask them for another favour."

"They don't consider what happened last time as a favour."

"You're missing the point. I know they are helpful people, but you can't just trouble them whenever you want."

"It's not like I'm asking for myself! They have more freedom to act than us, and they have more people. It doesn't hurt to ask, if they refuse, then at least I'll have tried." Yuri insisted.

Flynn looked as if he was about to retort something, but at the last second he changed his mind and merely sighed, shaking his head.

"All right, I give up. I won't change the way you are."

"Wow, Flynn is such a gentleman." Karol laughed. "You must have it hard with Yuri."

The long-haired boy merely 'tch'-ed and pouted, though inwardly a small pang of guilt had started budding in him.

"Back to the topic, what about Estelle?" Rita went on. "I know you don't like that option, Flynn, but if Alexei is involved in this mess, then maybe it's not that bad an idea to ask that Whitehorse guy."

"It's _because_ Alexei is probably involved that I'm reluctant. The last time they met, Alexei could have killed Whitehorse." Flynn reminded her. "This is no light matter."

"I know, but..." Rita looked away, scowling and biting her lower lip.

"Hey, what about Judith?" Yuri suddenly suggested. To Rita's questioning look, he added: "From what I understood, she was also in the police forces with Alexei. Maybe we can ask her."

"You can't ask people to take risks for you like that." Flynn protested.

"But it's not for me, it's for Estelle." Yuri argued.

"Again, you're missing the point, Yuri! It's the same problem as with Altosk."

"Do you have anything better to suggest?"

Again, Flynn opened his mouth to say something before thinking better of it. He shook his head, powerless.

"Fine. Do as you wish." he said wearily. He failed to notice Yuri's faint frown.

"I'll see what I can do then." the latter said after a while.

"Tell me when you go see Judith, I'll come with you." Rita added.

"This afternoon, most probably. I'll go to the hospital to visit Pia. Judith should be there."

"Good. I'll use that opportunity to see how Lily and Pat are doing."

"Who are Lily and Pat?"

Rita's face darkened, as well as Karol's. It was the latter who replied. "They live at the orphanage. Well, not anymore since they fell sick."

"Some kids fell sick at the orphanage?" Yuri gritted his teeth.

"Well, there's nothing surprising here. It had to happen, sooner or later." Rita let out dully.

"Since when are they hospitalized?"

"Lily, a week ago. Pat, ten days, maybe?"

"That's why you've been spending more time than ever in your lab?"

"I've got no time to waste." Rita said fiercely. "According to all the reports I've read, the conditions of children worsen more quickly that those of grown-ups. I need to find something before it's too late." She then lowered her head and murmured: "I have to find something to cure them. I have to." she repeated, as if to encourage herself.

During a single second, it seemed to Yuri as if she was finally letting her strong appearance fall to reveal her true thoughts of worries and doubts. "You will." he said with confidence.

No one contradicted him.

* * *

><p>When Flynn exited his examination room, he got the pleasant surprise to see Yuri leant against the wall of the empty corridor, waiting for him. The latter glanced at his watch and feigned surprise:<p>

"What is this? Flynn Scifo, out after only three hours and forty minutes? The end of the world is coming."

"Is that how you thank me for sparing you twenty minutes of waiting?" Flynn pretended to be offended.

"Just kidding. So, since we're all alone and all, won't you tell me what's bothering you?" Yuri asked bluntly, taking Flynn off guard.

"What do you mean? There's nothing bother–"

"Please. You gave up way too easily earlier when we were arguing about Estelle and Altosk and Judith. To me it means that you're either sick or have something bothering you." Yuri said very seriously.

Flynn stared at him in surprise, and seeing that the latter wasn't going to yield, he sighed. "Let's go. I'll tell you on the way."

As they did, Yuri had to wait patiently for Flynn to speak as the latter didn't seem very eager to share whatever was on his mind. The face he was pulling made Yuri worry a bit more at each step. What exactly could have happened that would make him look so down? Options weren't lacking, far from that, yet if it had been something really important, Flynn would have surely told Yuri already, wouldn't he? Once they exited the building though, Flynn finally spoke:

"It kind of makes me... uncomfortable to talk about it, but..."

"Hey, don't feel any pressure, Flynn." Yuri said with as reassuring a tone as he could. "It can wait until you feel like talking. I just want to make sure that you're fine. As long as you're fine, anything else can wait."

But Flynn shook his head. "No, I want to tell you. It's just that it's... I don't know, strange? I can't find any better word to describe this."

Yuri remained silent, choosing to let Flynn take his own pace. After a few seconds, the revelation fell, and somehow it was definitely not the kind of revelation Yuri had expected:

"My mother is having an affair with another man."

The words made Yuri freeze on the spot. The piece of news wasn't shocking _per se_, but it gave him the impression to come out of nowhere, and for a moment he didn't know how to react or what to reply. Having neither father nor mother, he couldn't really understand the full meaning of cheating on someone; he only knew that in theory, it wasn't considered a good deed. However, in the span of a second, he tried to imagine Flynn leaving him for someone else, and unpleasant knots tied his stomach.

Strangely enough, as he directed his eyes at Flynn who had turned back to him, he noticed that the blonde boy was keeping a straight face, almost too suspiciously calm.

"You don't look too... affected." he said carefully, and it was only at that moment that Flynn's lips curled up into a weary smile.

"I have to admit I didn't expect it when I saw it, but the weird thing is that I was barely surprised. Pretty sad, huh?" he added.

"So it doesn't bother you more than that?" Yuri asked as he resumed walking.

"I have but one thought about it: it is good news for the both of us." Flynn said softly.

"Is it?"

"It was your own idea, remember? To have leverage on my mother."

"Oh. Right. I wish it had been something less... serious, though." Yuri lowered his head.

Seeing this, Flynn grabbed Yuri's hand and squeezed it comfortingly while his other hand went to Yuri's cheek. He forced the long-haired boy to look at him and smiled reassuringly.

"I told you I'm feeling OK with it."

"You mean you'll actually use it to blackmail her?" Yuri asked, surprised.

"Yes, of course. The sooner we are rid of her, the better."

"You should hear yourself talking. Mr Perfect Scifo is actually using dirty tricks to get rid of his own mother." Yuri's tone was a mix of disbelief and admiration. It seemed to embarrass Flynn.

"I've changed since I met you." he replied with a hint of nervousness. "And I believe that I do what I have to do. It's not like I am casting my own parents away. I'm just trying to make them understand that I don't need anyone to rule my entire life."

"I understand." Yuri replied mildly, but apparently his reply wasn't convincing enough, for Flynn gently captured his lips with his own and gave him a quick peck before he spoke again:

"I expected more enthusiasm from you. You know that we'll finally get some peace, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do." Yuri finally smiled. His hand hadn't let go of Flynn's. "I'm glad, really. It's just that it would have been weird if I had jumped of joy at hearing that your mother is cheating on her husband. Wait... Does he know?"

Flynn shook his head. "I think not. That's another problem. I suppose I should let him know, but at the same time, it would mean revealing how I learnt about it and I can't say I'm proud of the way I obtained the information. Also, I don't know what the consequences would be afterwards. But still, this is not a thing I can keep hidden from my father. Especially after the talk we had on the other day." He sighed. "You know, I didn't told you before but now I suppose I can. My parents wanted to send me to study abroad right after the exams were finished."

"They what?" Yuri blinked twice, stunned.

"Yeah, well they wanted me to stop seeing you and to attend a better university." Flynn shrugged. "I made them understand clearly that they have no say in what I want to do with my life."

"Wow, but... seriously? You were supposed to leave us right after exams were over?"

"I guess it's when they told me about their plans to send me abroad that I really decided that I had enough." Flynn smiled again. "You bet I'd never let them get us apart."

Yuri looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Well... they may have a point with you going to a better university. I mean, with a brain like yours..."

This time, Flynn slipped his entire arm around Yuri's waist and pulled him closer, touching their foreheads together.

"And I keep telling you I don't want to go to better university." he whispered. "What I want is to stay with you. Unless you don't feel like having me around anymore."

"You stupid, that's not gonna happen even in a thousand years." Yuri protested.

Flynn's only answer was another kiss, though not a long one – there were people around, after all, and even though he didn't mind it as much as before, his upbringing told him to keep a minimum decency. "Shall we keep moving now?" he said after pulling back. "I believe you are supposed to meet with Rita and Karol at the gates to go to the hospital together."

"Right." Yuri looked obviously quite disappointed by the short kiss.

"I'm sorry I can't go with you."

"It's fine. I understand that you have plenty of stuff to take care of."

Both boys were almost at the gates when Yuri suddenly remembered that there was another topic he had wanted to discuss with Flynn. Yet, after their conversation, he felt that it was perhaps not the best time to bring this up. It could wait a few more days. But his extended silence visibly spoke for itself as Flynn ended up pointing it out:

"It seems like it's your turn to tell me what's on your mind." he said.

"Hm? Oh, I was just thinking about some stuff." Yuri replied evasively.

"Your exams?" Flynn teased.

"That's the last thing on my mind." Yuri muttered. "You should know that."

"Well, given how your were frowning, I figured it was something worth worrying about."

"You should also know I never worry about exams."

"Then what?"

"Nothing important."

Flynn merely gazed straight into Yuri's eyes for several seconds, silently, without blinking, but the strength of the gaze soon made the raven-haired male surrender. The latter raised both hands in defeat.

"Fine, fine. I'll tell you." He scratched his head. "But really... this may not be the best time ever to talk to you about that."

"I've been with you long enough to know that this means it _is_ the best time to talk to me about it." Flynn replied, half-joking, half-serious.

Yuri sighed. "You got me. Well... honestly it's gonna come as a very selfish request after what you told me about your parents. I mean, you already have your problems, and I don't want to–"

"Yuri, just get to the point already, and let me judge whether you're selfish or not."

"...OK." Yuri averted his gaze and crossed his arms, shifting a bit uneasily on his feet. "Well you see... I'm supposed to pay my rent within the next week, and let's say I'm sort of getting a bit tight on money. So I was wondering if you could lend–"

"I won't lend you anything." Flynn cut him in. "I'll pay it for you. Of course I will. You don't even have to ask. And don't even think of protesting." he added as Yuri had opened his mouth to retort something. "Also, I've told you several times, and my offer still holds. You can move at my place any time. Please do think about it." His voice softened as he pronounced those last words.

Yuri dared look into Flynn's lagoon eyes, and all resistance fled him. With a short sigh, he replied: "I'll give it some thought. And thanks a bunch."

A growing noise coming from the school buildings indicated that exams were over for the day. Karol and Rita showed up about five minutes later and followed Yuri to the bus station while Flynn waved them goodbye and walked off on his own.

Today had been a tiring day, and it was only the first of many.

* * *

><p>When Yuri stepped outside on that early morning, he noticed that there was more agitation in the streets than usual. Not paying it any further attention, he took his usual way to the school, his earphones on. Some sirens could be heard in the far, and he deduced that there was probably an accident. It was only until he arrived at the university that he spotted groups of students who were chatting actively among themselves while walking to their examination rooms and some of them clearly looked disconcerted. <em>What the hell is happening?<em> Yuri wondered as he walked closer. Some of the students were pointing towards the east, but when Yuri's gaze followed, he saw nothing in particular but buildings.

"–crazy dude. I'm telling you he completely lost it."

"–I didn't hear anything! They said at least thirty people died!"

"Thirty? They said fifty-three this morning. And–"

"–have relatives leaving not far from there, I hope they're OK. I've tried phoning them but they didn't reply. What if–"

_Wait._ _The east? But that's where..._

"–the lower quarters to be a safe area. It was doomed to end up like that, sooner or later."

That was where the lower quarters were located.

"–ri!"

Yuri quickened his pace, trying to catch up with some students ahead of him to ask them for information.

"–RI!"

There were talking about casualties. How many again? Fifty? Yuri only hoped he was simply misunderstanding things.

"YURI!"

The long-haired male turned round as he heard his name and saw Flynn running to him.

"Flynn! Do you know what happened? I mean, what's all the fuss about?" he asked as soon as the blonde one caught up with him.

"It's been all over the news since yesterday night." Flynn replied, panting slightly. "There have been altercations between people from the lower quarters and Alexei's men. It went really wrong." His face darkened. "Apparently the police were patrolling as usual and arrested some people in a not-so-gentle way, and other inhabitants tried to interfere. It degenerated from there. Badly. And I suppose it's superfluous to tell you this, but..."

"Alexei has started taking arms against Altosk." Yuri finished gloomily. He felt a knot in his stomach. "You'd need to be an idiot not to see that." His fists started shaking. "He actually _killed_ people in open air! Even if there was maybe one or two members of Altosk, most of the victims were probably unrelated people!" He could feel his blood starting to boil in his veins as irrational hatred rose slowly in him towards that man who pretended to be the world's saviour.

"Yuri, please cool down." Flynn said as he grabbed the other boy's shoulder. "I know it must be hard for you right now, but you can't change what happened."

"I know. But I'll go there after my exam to see how things are. I promise I won't do anything stupid." he added hastily as he saw Flynn's disapproving frown. "I'll just stay outside the quarters and see what I can learn. Most likely it'll be nothing, but I have to go check." His tone was almost pleading now, and slightly trembling, though whether it was of fury or something else, he couldn't tell.

Flynn sighed. Yuri had lived there for several years, after all. It was only natural that he wanted to go. "I have an exam this afternoon as well, so I can't tag along. I guess I'll trust your word then."

"Thanks, Flynn!" Yuri smiled of relief before leaning over and kissing his lover on the cheek.

"How did it go with Judith, by the way?"

"Oh, that." Yuri's disappointed face was meaningful enough. "She said that even if she could probably sneak into the police headquarters, she doubts that Estelle would be there. Most likely Alexei is keeping her safe in some unknown place."

"She has a point."

"You know... Speaking of her, there's something else that has been disturbing me." Yuri said pensively, a faint crease between his brows. "When we talked to her, she also mentioned having some business with Alexei as well. And though she had her back turned, I'm pretty sure I heard her saying 'Raven'. I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean."

"They are all connected somehow, so I can see some sort of link, but honestly I have no idea to suggest." Flynn replied, also frowning. "Anyway, I have to leave you here. My exam is that way."

"I'll call you later." Yuri promised.

He was almost tempted to skip his own exam, but figured that Flynn was right: even if he went to the lower quarters now, he wouldn't be able to do much. And he would be out after two hours anyway. Still, he wasn't able to focus much on the question as the image of Alexei shooting at Yeager kept popping in his mind. And each time, Yuri wished he had been able to stop the man from pulling the trigger.

* * *

><p>If it hadn't been for the countless police cars circling the whole neighbourhood and the policemen trying to contained the angered masses, Yuri wouldn't have been able to tell that tragic events had occurred only a dozen hours ago. He had half-expected to see buildings in ruins and corpses scattered on the ground, but of course everything had been cleaned up.<p>

Well, everything but the blood.

Even from where he was standing and with the crowds massing in front of the security barriers, Yuri could make out brownish splatters on the concrete as he elbowed his way forward, and somehow he started feeling sick when he caught a glimpse of a small toy ball lying there, stained in crimson. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. The main damages had most certainly been dealt deeper within the lower quarters, and for now no one but the authorities were allowed in. Policemen were having trouble pushing back all the people who had come to protest against Alexei. A few were throwing rocks but they were immediately caught, most were simply shouting with their fists raised. Men, women, young or old, it didn't matter. Yuri was pleasantly surprised to see so many souls united against that one man who thought of himself as justice incarnated. However, Yuri feared that the turmoil could end up badly, as badly as it did in the lower quarters. But this time, there were hundreds of people and the police were outnumbered. However, the guns they were holding seemed deterring enough for the inhabitants not to climb over the barriers or the police cars.

Yuri wished he could sneak inside and get to Altosk's pub to assess the situation there. Theoretically, he knew he could, but he had promised Flynn not to act rashly. As he was being jostled from all sides by the crowd, he managed to get closer, and his attention was drawn to a man who was standing a bit back and giving out orders. As he was only a few meters away, it didn't take him much to recognize Alexei's right-hand man, Atomais. He was dispatching his troops while filing some reports, and as Yuri watched him more attentively, he noticed something that disturbed him: while the other policemen were excited all over the place, the grey-haired man was as composed as ever, cold even, and maybe a bit melancholic.

Their gazes suddenly crossed, and for a split second Yuri thought that the man had somehow recognized him. Several thoughts mixed up in his head: was he the one who had led the slaughter? Was he there to wait for the first opportunity to open fire again? Who exactly was he and why did he look so familiar? And why was he wearing that pained expression as he looked away from Yuri?

_Bastard. You're not fooling anyone._

He was about to leave when a policeman ran to Damuron with a phone in his hand:

"Captain Atomais! A call from Commander Dinoia for you!"

That caught Yuri's attention. As the captain moved away to take the call, Yuri followed him along the barriers, though not without some trouble as the crowd would not let him pass. Several times he was bumped into rather violently, but he still managed to snake through the masses. By now Damuron had his back turned to him and was too far away for him to hear most of the conversation. His ears managed to catch a few words though, and the little he managed to make out in the middle of the shouts made his heart stop for a second:

"...Sidos girl?... her father... don't think... understand...No, I... about Whitehorse... shouldn't... talk to him..."

He hung up and returned to one of the officers there, probably to give some other orders. He seemed to have completely forgotten about Yuri. Perhaps Yuri had simply been imagining things when he had thought that the man had recognized him. But right now, this was the least of his concerns. Right now, he was dying to force his way through the police barrage, grab that captain and beat some answers out of him. He had talked about Estelle, Yuri was certain of it, which meant that there were chances he knew where she was, or at least he had information on her. Which also meant that Rita was right and Alexei had definitely something to do with her "disappearance".

And he had also mentioned Whitehorse. This couldn't mean anything good. Altosk was probably preparing a counter-attack, but how were they faring? Would Whitehorse have enough men and resources to stand against Alexei? It was at times like these that he wished he was still a dweller of the lower quarters. If the Claw hadn't been disbanded, if he was still part of it, he could have perhaps do something with Gauche and Droite and all the others. If Yeager was still there.

Following the line of thoughts, his mind shifted to Raven. Now would be a really nice time for him to show up and react. If someone could reach Whitehorse without too much trouble, it would be him. Yuri gritted his teeth as he left the place.

Where was the old man when you needed him?

He wasn't able to walk a dozen metres that he heard quick footsteps behind him and a second later, a hand tried to grab his shoulder, but Yuri turned round briskly before it could touch him. The boy standing in front of him frowned, apparently not expecting Yuri's abrupt reaction. He looked ten, twelve maybe, with blonde hair and big clear eyes. Yuri stood on the defensive anyway; however, he soon relaxed a bit when the youth introduced himself:

"Yuri Lowell, I'm Don Whitehorse's grandson, Harry. He sent me scouting for you."

"For me? Why?" Yuri asked, unable to shake off the suspicion in his tone.

"He's asking for a return of favour. He'd like to meet you, if you will." Harry scratched his nose. "He said you'd surely come here sooner or later, after what happened this night."

"He said so?" Yuri gave a nervous laugh. "I suppose I'm that predictable. But what does he need me for?"

"It would be best if you met him directly. He has a few questions for you, and after that, you're free to choose whether to help him or not."

Yuri crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I suppose I can meet with him. I owe him at least that much."

Harry's face lit up. "Great! My grandfather is still in the lower quarters with the other members of Altosk, but the police are preventing anyone from coming in or out. So I was told to guide you to him."

"Hey, I lived there for several years, I know the passages to sneak into the lower quarters." Yuri reminded the boy with faint amusement. However, Harry looked slightly uneasy.

"Ah yes but… Grandpa said that those passages may not be so safe now. He didn't want to tell me why, though. But anyway, we'll have to use some other ways." Harry grinned. "You don't have to worry, though. I'm pretty good at avoiding the cops."

"When does he want to meet me?"

"Tonight."

Yuri bit his lip. His first thought went to Flynn. The latter would definitely disapprove of it, and he had made a promise not to get more involved than necessary. But Whitehorse just wanted to talk to him, didn't he? If he merely needed to answer a few questions, surely it would be fine. "Alright." he eventually said.

"Meet at midnight behind this building." Harry pointed at a block of flats in front of him.

"Midnight?"

"The cops are less active by night."

"Makes sense. Then I'll see you tonight, Harry."

The boy vanished in the crowd in the blink of an eye, leaving Yuri with more mitigated thoughts than ever.

* * *

><p>The long silence he received on the phone told him that the next five minutes would not be pleasant.<p>

"He said he just wants to talk to me, nothing else." Yuri repeated.

"_And he'll want you to do something dangerous again, like join him to defend the lower quarters from Alexei's men."_ Flynn replied, irritated.

_That's most likely,_ Yuri thought, but Flynn didn't need to know it. "He has enough men on his side, I don't see how I could help him more than that." he replied instead.

"_Then why else would he want to see you?"_

"I don't know, that's why I'm going. Listen, I promise I'll be careful. If he had wanted me to do something, he'd have already told me. The kid really insisted that it was only to talk, and that I would be able to refuse to help if I felt like it."

"_He really said so?"_

"Yeah, that's basically why I agreed to come."

"_Yuri…Allow me to ask you a question. If you already agreed, why do you even bother asking for my opinion?"_

Was it amusement Yuri heard faintly in Flynn's tone? Maybe, though he chose not to risk it. "I… I thought I'd try convincing you."

"_What if I'm not convinced?"_

"Then I'll go see Harry to tell him I changed my mind." Yuri said with obvious reluctance.

"_Liar."_ This time, Yuri heard Flynn sigh and chuckle shortly. _"I couldn't stop you even if I wanted it. And though I still don't get why you are so eager to be involved with those people, I understand that it was a part of your life. I disapprove of your choice, but I understand it. Just promise me to come back safely. I want to see you tomorrow in perfect shape at school."_

"I promise." Yuri smiled fondly as he leant his back against the wall of his room.

"_Good. Now I have to leave you. I have an important thing to do."_

"Important thing?"

"_Yes, hopefully I'll be done quickly. I'll see you tomorrow, Yuri."_

"Flynn, wait."

"_What is it?"_

"I…" Yuri paused for a second. "Thanks for sticking with me." he almost whispered.

"_What can I say? Only a fool would stick with you, and I am a fool."_ Flynn teased him.

"Hey! I was being serious here." Yuri scowled.

"_I know. I will want a dinner at your place as a reward for my faithfulness."_

"You'll have it." Yuri laughed.

When he finally hung up, a sigh of relief and satisfaction escaped his lips. He had feared that Flynn would show more resistance than this; which stirred a string of guilt in him. Very often he wondered how Flynn was able to cope with him and his whims; he also wondered if he would have been able to react with the same indulgence, were their roles reversed.

Maybe not.

Yuri made a mental promise to himself to prepare the best dinner ever for Flynn after exams were over.

* * *

><p>Today was one of the rare days Flynn set foot in his parents' main house, and usually the perspective never rejoiced him. This time though, he had that <em>important thing <em>to do and therefore, as he was standing in front of his mother's desk, he accepted her fit of anger quite serenely. Even though he had just finished a day with eight hours of exams.

"How dared you cancel your application for the next semester? I had already gone through the trouble of preparing all the papers for your transfer! What exactly do you think you are doing?" his mother slammed her hands on the desk, furious.

"I plan to finish my studies here." Flynn replied calmly.

"And I told you I won't allow it! That Yuri Lowell or whatever his name is has been a hindrance to your education! And you have been way too influenced by him! Honestly, what kind of boy gives another boy a _bracelet_? I hope for your own good that you gave it back to him."

"Do you mean this?" Flynn pulled up his sleeve. His mother's face turned red.

"Are you trying to provoke me? This will lead you nowhere! By acting so childishly, you are ruining your own future!"

"I have doubts about that future being my own, seeing how you seem to make all the decisions in my stead."

"Because you are unable to make any good decision!" She narrowed her eyes and glared threateningly at Flynn. "You will leave this country after your examinations here are done, and that is not open for discussion."

"I actually think it is."

"What?"

Flynn took a mental breath. It was too late to go back now. It had been too late since the moment he had sent a message to his father. With the gravest expression on his face, he replied: "I think that you are in no position to order me what to do at all, unless you want to dirty that image of yours which you are so proud of."

"Flynn, I'm warning you. Cease that insolence right away or–"

"I know about your affair, and I have proof of it."

The effect was immediate. Her face froze and she stared at him for several seconds before anger took over her again.

"What is that nonsense you are talking about?" she barked.

"I have proof." Flynn repeated. "You do not have to deny it. I won't make it public, unless you insist on deciding my life for me."

"You are lying."

"Please don't try me."

"Show me that alleged proof then." she said with disdain, though her voice was slightly trembling.

"Of course I don't have it here. I am not that stupid. But I can assure you the video is likely to create a scandal for your company if it was made public that Mrs Ella Scifo, renowned as the straightest of businesswomen and the most devoted to her family, is actually nothing but a living lie. I fear for your reputation." Flynn let out coldly. Of course the only thing that could be seen on the video was a kiss, but she didn't need to know of that detail. He was surprised by his own words, harsh words, but the thought of Yuri and his friends was his fuel not to flinch. Deep inside, he knew that his words were hurting his mother, but she had always refused to listen to him, and if this was the only way to reach to her, then so be it. "However, if you really wish to see it, then please ask Father for it, as I sent it to him just before coming here."

By the bleached face she displayed, Flynn knew that he had won.

He wished the cost wasn't so high, though.

* * *

><p>The night was still a bit chilly though not cold, and the streets were desert save for a few late couples going back from some fancy restaurants. Yuri didn't pay attention to them and kept on walking quickly to the meeting point. The block of flats was right in front of him, and by the dim lights of the street lamps, he managed to spot a small silhouette waiting for him there.<p>

"Yuri, hello again." Harry greeted him. "Let's hurry." He then motioned Yuri to follow him. As the boy had said in the morning, they took a path which was unknown to Yuri, snaking around narrow alleys and climbing on roofs and making their ways silently and furtively between the buildings. Some patrols were still keeping an eye on the outside of the lower quarters, but night and shadows were Yuri's allies. He followed Harry through some abandoned buildings, sometimes stopping abruptly and making a gesture at him to stay still while waiting for a patrol to pass.

"We're soon there. Come on." he whispered. They continued in the dark in the middle of the tall buildings until Harry led him into what seemed to be a dead end. Pushing away several large wooden planks, he freed the entrance to a set of staircases leading downstairs. Yuri followed, his eyes narrowing when Harry switched on a torch light. The corridor following the staircases was damp and low and cold, and it was with some relief that he finally reached the exit. They ended up in a sort of basement, and from there, Yuri could hear faint noises coming from upstairs. "He's waiting for you up there." Harry said with a grin.

And indeed, as they climbed the stairs and opened the door, the noises became much clearer. Contrary to the last time when Yuri had paid Altosk a visit, none of the faces he saw there was displaying any sign of kindness; they were cold and angry or pained. Beer was still flowing, though, but the atmosphere wasn't fit for festivities. Some of the people there turned their heads at him as he stepped into the room, then seeing Harry, they soon resumed whatever they were doing.

Heavy footsteps caught Yuri's attention. He directed his eyes to the broad man walking to him, a grave expression on his face.

"Yuri Lowell, I apologize for making you come here so late and under such circumstances." Whitehorse said.

Yuri shook his head. "It's fine. You helped me before, I'm here to repay the favour."

"Come, have a seat and let's talk. It won't be long. Harry, come with us."

Yuri followed the Don to a table, and for a second he almost expected to see Raven seated on the empty chair next to Whitehorse's spot.

"What do you know about yesterday's incidents?" the man asked without beating about the bush.

"Not much." Yuri replied truthfully, nodding at the drink Harry handed him. "There were some frictions between people here and the police, and it ended up badly. They say the police was attacked while on patrol. They spoke about fifty casualties."

Whitehorse snorted. "Right. Alexei is putting the blame on us."

"None of the inhabitants believe that. They've been demonstrating all day long against Alexei."

"I know that. It doesn't matter. Alexei is planning to send out his troops to wipe out the lower quarters. We've been a thorn in his foot for too long."

"But why now? Why not earlier?" Yuri inquired.

"Ha!" Whitehorse growled. "Do you actually think he's let us live in peace for all this time? Don't joke, kid. Look around you. See all those men and women? All of them here have had at least a friend or a relative taken away by Alexei's purge. Since Yeager's death, Alexei pretended to put us to respite, but the truth is, not a single day has passed without reports of people from the lower quarters being arrested. Most of the souls who fill his prisons come from here. I see your question coming. Why haven't I done anything against that? The answer is simple. Got a hunch?"

Yuri frowned at the question. Whitehorse's piercing gaze was on him, sharp and intimidating. "Because you feared that any action from you would end up like it did yesterday." he finally replied darkly.

"Exactly. But now Alexei has shown his true face." Whitehorse emptied the beer in his mug and slammed it on the table. "Do you want the truth of what happened yesterday, son?" His tone suddenly rose, and the noises around him dampened, though the room didn't fall silent. "Someone shot a policeman from a patrol. But that someone wasn't part of us. The bastard who did it was one of Alexei's underlings."

"What? How can you be so sure?" Yuri asked.

"Because my grandson here was there, and witnessed it all. And also because we captured that man. It didn't take the coward much to spill the beans. He was hired by one of Alexei's officers to trigger the massacre. See, one policeman being shot is a reason enough to kill off fifty citizens. What kind of era are we living in?" he roared, punching the table with his fist, and Yuri almost jumped. Some other Altosk members joined in, letting their anger out with curses and promises to have Alexei's head. "He has openly declared war on us, and therefore we will give him war, even if the lower quarters must bleed."

There was still a big question on Yuri's mind. "What did you call me here for?" he asked carefully.

Whitehorse seemed to have detected the doubt in his tone for he crossed his arms on his broad chest and let out a heavy sigh. "I won't ask you to join us to fight against Alexei, though I will welcome you if you do such on your own will. No, what I need from you is information on my old friend Raven."

Yuri hardly concealed his surprise at the mention of the name. "The old man? I thought you were still in touch with him."

"Unfortunately, it isn't that easy. Especially now."

"What do you mean?"

Whitehorse frowned. "Boy, don't tell me you haven't noticed."

"Noticed what?"

"You saw Alexei's right-hand man, didn't you?"

"The one who calls himself Damuron Atomais? I did, why?"

"You are not serious here, boy." Whitehorse frowned in disbelief. "Don't tell me that a mere name is what it takes to fool you."

It was Yuri's turn to look dumb. The gears started spinning in his head, slowly clicking together until everything made sense to him. The familiarity of that man's face, the melancholic gaze in his eyes, the feeling that he had recognized him when he had seen him... _No,_ he thought. _It can't be. No, he is not supposed to be with him! He is not supposed to work for him!_

"You must be kidding me." he breathed out, still half-incredulous. Raven, killing people on Alexei's orders? This had to be some huge joke.

"I'm afraid not." Whitehorse said. "But now is not the time to doubt. Now I have a request for you. As Harry probably told you already, you are free to refuse, but we could really do with your help."

"What do you need from me?"

"I want you to go talk to him."

"How? I have no way to reach him." Yuri replied, wondering if Whitehorse was actually serious. "And even if I had, what tells you that he'd even listen to me? If he's really who you say he is, then he's the one responsible for all the arrests, all the lives he ruined, all the lives he..." Yuri shook his head. It couldn't be, it couldn't be! Raven would have never allowed such carnage to happen. Raven was a mere, stupid old man who was just good at giving boring lectures and courting ladies.

"I can hardly believe it myself." Whitehorse said gravely. "I have always considered him as my closest friend, and that is the reason I want to help him. Something is keeping him in shackles, something is forcing him to follow Alexei's orders, and I want to know what. I want to destroy it."

"In any case, I doubt I'll be able to even get close to him. He could simply shoot me, for all I know. Or if he doesn't, one of his men could." Yuri said dimly.

The Don shook his head. "There is a way. Listen carefully. Once a month, on the same day, he goes to a certain place to pay his respects. The city's graveyard, in the outskirts. That is where–"

"–Casey is buried." Yuri finished for him. He remembered Judith talking to him about it.

Whitehorse nodded. "Indeed. And Yeager too. He was buried next to her."

"So you're saying I should go talk to him there?"

"He always goes there alone. Even years ago, when he was still with us, he would never allow anyone to come along."

Yuri didn't reply immediately. He lowered his head pensively. "When will he go?"

"In two days."

"Two days? But what will you do in the meantime? What if he chooses to attack you tomorrow?"

"The demonstrations will keep the police forces at bay for at least one more day. That's one good thing about the people of this city. They can be a bit useful when it's necessary."

"One more question: why me? Why not send one of your men?"

Whitehorse actually laughed at the question and held out his arm to give Yuri a strong pat on the shoulder. "You don't know, do you? Well, tell you what, Raven has grown quite fond of you, son."

"Excuse me?" Yuri stared at the man as if he was insane.

"Sometimes he would drop by here and have a drink with me. And each time, you could be sure he'd drop a word or two about you. Apparently you're quite the slacker during his lectures." Whitehorse said, a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. "Even at the time when you were still part of the Claw, Raven had already spotted you. He wanted you to join us, but at the same time, he kept saying that you looked quite happy, training with Yeager and his adoptive daughters."

The more Yuri was hearing, the more he was convinced that he was in the middle of some strange dream. Whitehorse was talking about Raven as if the man had had some fatherly feelings for him, and the mere idea of it sounded completely ridiculous.

"You're free not to believe me, but he is fond of you. He simply avoids showing it too much. He has never been one to display his feelings openly, even to me. Now, if you agree to go and see him, I'll tell you what I want you to tell him. Again, I'm not forcing you. You are free to refuse, and should you do so, no one here would hold it against you."

_Probably not, but how do you expect me to refuse after everything you told me?_

"So, what is your answer?"

Yuri didn't hesitate. "I'll do it."

* * *

><p>As promised, Yuri showed up at the university on the next day, safe and sound, and blessed his luck for not having an exam in the morning. It was almost noon when he met up with Flynn in the park.<p>

"You look awful, Yuri." Flynn commented worriedly as he stroke his lover's hair softly.

"I didn't get much sleep." The latter replied, yawning loudly to make his point. "Here's your lunch."

Flynn looked surprised. "You had time to make something?"

"As I said, I didn't get much sleep." Yuri smirked, but seeing the face Flynn pulled, he added hastily: "Hey, it's fine. I wouldn't have been able to sleep much anyway." he finished with a sullen tone.

"What happened yesterday?" Flynn inquired.

The report Yuri gave him made him widen his eyes. The more he heard, the more he felt that everything was completely surreal. Raven, partly responsible for all the events of the past few months? While he had risked his life not so long ago for Yuri's sake? This was absurd. Whitehorse had to be seriously wrong about that. If the situation hadn't been so serious, Flynn would have laughed when Yuri mentioned that Raven was apparently 'fond of him'. Now though, the only feeling it stirred in him was uncertainty.

"You'll go talk to him?" he asked, knowing the answer beforehand.

"To be honest, I really have a bad feeling about this one. But…" Yuri bit his lower lip. "I did hear him talk about Estelle when he was on the phone, and I want to ask him about her too."

"What if he doesn't show up? What if he's actually not so fond of you as Whitehorse claims? What if–"

"Flynn, cool down. I've already thought about all possible scenarios here." Yuri's face darkened. "I want to believe it'll be alright. I mean, I'm certain he'll be alone. You usually don't drag police forces with you when you go to a graveyard, especially when the one you want to visit was killed by the same police."

"You're probably right." Flynn sighed. "Yuri, I won't hide it to you, but I really don't like where all of this is going."

"It's the same for me, trust me."

"Why did you accept Whitehorse's request?"

"Because I want to understand."

"Is it worth risking your life like that?"

Yuri gave no answer. Instead he merely lay down on the grass, his head on Flynn's lap, and closed his eyes. It was easier that way, for he didn't have to see the dead concerned gaze that Flynn was giving him. He felt the blonde's hand on his cheek, soft and warm, and for a few seconds he wished everything was but a bad dream.

Everything but Flynn's hand on his cheek.

* * *

><p>The wind was strong on that cloud-covered day. Yuri cursed mentally at himself more than once for not bringing his scarf with him. Sinking his head as much as he could in the collar of his coat, he stepped into the graveyard. It wasn't a big one, and most graves looked more or less the same, except for a few big tombstones that could be seen from far, with flowers all over the marbles. Probably some rich families. Stony alleys were stretching between the graves and the tall trees scattered a bit everywhere, giving away a more lively atmosphere than if it had just been rock and stone. The sound of birds chirping could almost make people forget that they were in a cemetery.<p>

The place was desert, save for one person who was standing with their back facing Yuri. The uniform and the ash grey hair left no doubt on that person's identity, though. Yuri could see two tombstones in front of the man; it wasn't hard to guess the names carved on them either. The gravels crunched under his feet as he walked forward. Under his coat, a knife was safely sheathed. The last thing he wanted was to be forced to use it, but he couldn't take any risk.

He was only a few metres away when the figure in front of him turned round. A single emerald eye gazed at him, with both surprise and expectation reflected in it. And then Raven's lips stretched into a thin, weary smile.

"Hello, Yuri. You finally found me, didn't you?" he said softly.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx**

**A/N: And voilà for the new chapter! Sooo, for those who were getting too upset over Flynn's mom, there you go. And since I've got nothing else to say, I'll just say thank you to you who spend some time to read this :D Oh, and my soft spot for Raven is still as vivid as ever.  
><strong>


	36. March 15th to 17th

**A/N: I'd like to point out the fact that I haven't smoked anything while writing this chapter. And no, Assassin's Creed hasn't inspired me to write this, not at all. Also, it's kinda long, but I couldn't really cut it. Soooo, enjoy!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>March 15th to 17th <strong>

"Hello, Yuri. You finally found me, didn't you?" Raven said softly.

Yuri had no idea what to say and for the next few seconds, there was only silence. There he was, the man who had been hiding from the world for months under another identity, standing in front of the two graves and smiling faintly at Yuri. Even if half his face was veiled by ash grey hair, the anguish of his traits was obvious. For a moment, the uniform he was wearing looked too heavy on his shoulders, and the gun hanging on his side felt more like a burden than anything else. _Why? How did Alexei force you to turn into this?_ The more Yuri looked at Raven, the less he could grasp the reason behind this farce. Then, remembering the main reason he was there, he made a step forward and finally spoke:

"I was told I could find you here on certain days." he said, shrugging, though there was no lightness in his tone.

Raven scratched his head with a faint chuckle, and for the span of a second, he looked like the old Raven Yuri knew. "Ah well, no need to ask you for the source of the information. Anyway, I suppose you have something you want to tell me?"

"And stuff I want _you_ to tell _me_." Yuri replied, not swayed the least bit by Raven's act.

The latter stopped pretending. "I'm listening."

"Whitehorse wants you back." Yuri said bluntly. "He wants revenge on what Alexei did yesterday."

"If he wants revenge for yesterday, it is me he should target." Raven replied.

Yuri's fists clenched in his coat's pockets. "Are you saying you actually did it?" he asked, gritting his teeth. "I didn't want to believe it. I thought there was no way you could actually order such a massacre. Not you."

"Those men are under my command. Even if I didn't take part directly to it, it is still my responsibility." Raven said wearily.

"And you are under Alexei's command!" Yuri snapped before cooling down. "If we follow your logic, then it's _his_ responsibility. Though it doesn't mean I don't feel like punching you for everything you've done until now."

"I won't blame you for holding it against me. But I'm afraid complying with Whitehorse's request is the one thing I cannot do."

"Why? What keeps you by that bastard's side?"

Raven didn't reply immediately, as if looking for the correct answer. "A promise." he finally said.

Yuri waited, but no more explanations came. With a hint of frustration, he pressed him on: "What do you mean, a promise? How can a simple promise make you arrest hundreds of people and put them to jail? How can it force you to destroy families and kill innocent people?"

Again, Raven didn't give an immediate answer. Instead, he turned round, contemplating the graves erected in front of him. His eyes lingered on Yeager's one, Yuri noticed. He stepped closer and stood beside the other man, also looking at the tombstones. On one of them was a single orange flower, yet so bright and fiery it made up for a whole bouquet. It was Casey's grave. Yeager's was bare.

"A promise can make you do a lot of unreasonable things, Yuri." Raven replied.

_'If something happens to me, promise me you'll take care of her.'_

"What would you gain from keeping that promise?" Yuri asked.

_The foolish hope of seeing her smile again._

"I'd lose the little I have left by not keeping it."

"Listen." Yuri said dryly. "I don't know what that promise of yours is and who you made the promise to, but I'm not sure that person would agree to what you're doing just for their sake."

"I don't require you to understand my point of view, Yuri." Raven replied with a sigh. "You brought me a message from Whitehorse, and I gave you my answer."

"You're staying with Alexei."

There was no answer.

"Whitehorse thinks of you as his close friend!" Yuri insisted, irritated. "By refusing to talk to him, you're betraying the trust he put in you!"

"But I've already betrayed it, haven't I?"

"Stop that crap, old man. Even a blind person could see that you're not following Alexei of your own will. And no one around you is happy about this either. Judy has been worried sick about you, not to mention Whitehorse, and I'm so pissed at you I'd gladly beat you up to a bloody pulp."

Raven merely nodded. "Yes, I suppose I must have disappointed all of you." He then turned to Yuri and asked suddenly: "Do you wish to beat me up so badly?"

"Hell yeah." came the immediate answer.

"Then why don't you draw that knife of yours and do it now?"

Yuri felt his muscles tense up, trying to make out whether Raven was actually serious or not. He noticed the man rubbing the hilt of his gun absent-mindedly. Yuri was almost about to reach for his own weapon when he heard Raven give a short laugh. The boy frowned. _He's making fun of me?_ Or were some of Raven's men hidden in the area and ready to shoot him down as soon as he showed any suspicious movements?

"Relax." The older man said, as if reading Yuri's mind. "I haven't fallen so low as to start anything here." His gaze turned back to the tombstones. "Today you're here to talk, and I have no intention for it to be otherwise."

It barely reassured Yuri, though his instinct told him that Raven still valued his late friends enough not to spill blood in this place.

"So you won't even reconsider going back with Whitehorse." Yuri stated more than he asked.

"I cannot."

"But Alexei practically declared war to the lower quarters and Whitehorse doesn't intend to let him get away so easily after what he's done."

"And Alexei has no intention to let Altosk live either."

"And you're fine with that?" Yuri asked angrily. "You're fine turning your back to your friends and making even more victims in the lower quarters?"

"I'll let you guess the answer to that question." Raven replied calmly, which only served to irk Yuri even more.

"It seems like Whitehorse was wrong about you." he said, his fists trembling. "He trusted you and believed strongly that you'd take the hand he held out to you. But apparently you value some silly promise over the lives of hundreds of people – including those of your friends."

The next second, Yuri was caught off guard as Raven grabbed his collar and pulled him off the ground with one hand, staring straight at him. For the first time, Yuri saw anger – genuine anger – in Raven's visible eye. And for a heartbeat, he failed to recognize the man who had once been his teacher.

"Don't speak about things you don't know. I have reasons to do what I do, and I won't allow some youngsters like you to judge me." he said acidly before putting Yuri down. A sigh escaped his lips. In a blink of an eye, he was back to his normal, controlled self. "Yuri, listen to me well. In two days, Alexei plans for me to eliminate Whitehorse and destroy Altosk. He will probably announce it publicly tomorrow."

"You're Alexei's right-hand man." Yuri replied, unflinching. "You have the best spot to get rid of him quickly."

"And assuming I do get rid of him, what will happen next?"

"Everything will be over! No one will have to suffer because of him anymore and you'll be able to move on!" Yuri said, exasperated.

"Yuri, I thought you were more sensible than this." Raven replied calmly, though there was probably also a hint of weariness in his tone. "If I kill Alexei, there is no way I can move on. I've done things that cannot be forgiven so easily, and the people will never allow Damuron Atomais to get away from this unpunished."

"Then drop that identity and become Raven Schwann again!"

The man actually laughed. "You make it sound so easy, Yuri. But do I need to remind you that I have a promise to keep? And for that purpose, Alexei must live. If he dies, Damuron has to die with him."

"You can't be serious." Yuri gritted his teeth. "You'd be ready to sacrifice so much for one promise? And why do you need him alive? The world is better off without him."

"That's what Whitehorse is there for."

"What?"

"He's there to stop Alexei... and myself." Raven added with his most serious tone as he gazed upwards. Oddly enough, at that same moment, a bird flew by, his plumage jet black in the cloudy sky. _A crow_.

Yuri stared at the man, puzzlement written all over his face. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly, though something deep inside him told him that he had already understood. He simply feared to admit it. Raven turned to him and graced him with a wry smile.

"Exactly what I said. Yuri, when you report to Whitehorse, tell him that Alexei will raid from the northern side with the main part of his troops, but it'll be a decoy. I'll come from the southern side with the rest, through a passage that only he and I know of. So he'd better have a welcome party for me there too."

"Why are you telling me that?" Yuri questioned, now more suspicious than ever.

"I told you. I'd like to have someone welcome me home when I arrive. It would be lonely otherwise."

"Stop screwing around!" The unpleasant feeling that had been stirring inside Yuri's stomach started growing into a certitude. "First, you claim to fight for Alexei, and now you're revealing his strategy? Or is that some kind of trap? Or..." The words died in Yuri's throat. He refused to believe what his intuition was telling him.

"Or?" Raven urged him on.

Yuri lowered his head, letting a few strands of hair fall on both sides of his face. He opened his mouth, but words didn't came out easily. He wasn't able to control the faint trembling of his voice. "You don't plan to fight through this, do you? You plan to have Whitehorse stop you – no, you plan to have him _execute_ you."

Silence floated between them for an unknown lapse of time, leaving Yuri's words hanging in an awkward atmosphere. Then a hand patted his shoulder.

"You read too much into what I say." Raven said softly.

_Liar. I read your face all too well to know I'm right._ Yuri wished he was wrong, though. "Why?" he asked in a low tone. "Why are you doing this?"

_Because I'm but a selfish old man._ "It's getting late. I have to go back to work, and you have to report to the Don." Raven removed his hand from Yuri's shoulder and was about to leave when the boy stopped him:

"Wait. What about Estelle?"

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "Estelle? Do you mean Estellise Sidos?"

Yuri nodded. "Where is she?"

"Ah... I'm afraid I don't know."

"I don't believe you. You were talking about her to Alexei yesterday on the phone."

"Quite the eavesdropper, aren't we? But I'm telling the truth here. Alexei doesn't tell me all the details, you know?"

"What does he plan to do with her?" Yuri insisted.

"She's a simple hostage. She's unharmed."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Alexei wouldn't gain anything by harming her."

"He'd harm her just for the hell of it." Yuri protested. "That man's completely insane!"

"As much as you'd like to believe it, it is not Alexei's hobby to hurt young girls."

"Yeah, he just enjoys purging the country of half its population and calling it 'justice'." Yuri snapped back humourlessly.

Raven sighed. "Yuri, we could spend hours discussing about it and it wouldn't change a thing. I have nothing left to tell you. So, go back to Whitehorse and tell him what I told you."

Yuri gritted his teeth. It couldn't end like that. It couldn't. Raven was supposed to leave Alexei's side and fight for the lower quarters. He was supposed to tell him that he had acted stupidly and was regretting it. He was supposed to turn back to Whitehorse.

"And one last thing." Raven's voice interrupted Yuri's thoughts. "In two days, stay away from the lower quarters. It'd please this old man if no harm came to you."

Yuri watched Raven's back as the latter waved at him and left. He frowned deeply.

Concealed by the trunk of a tree not far from his spot, unnoticed by him, a woman with long, blue hair was biting the tip of her thumb. Hard. Her lips moved silently to form two words.

_Stupid Raven._

* * *

><p>Rita angrily sent all her pencil-blackened papers flying.<p>

"They're wrong, they're wrong, they're all wrong!" she burst out, though – fortunately – there was no one in the lab to hear her curses. "Are they all stupid or something?" she muttered. Honestly, what good were those so-called 'best scientists in the world'? They had been wrong all along. She looked into her microscope again, just to be sure, then scribbled a few notes on a scrap of paper, for herself.

"I have to tell Duke Pantarei." she spoke to herself. All of the eminent scientists who had been working on the 'virus' had been led on a wrong path since the beginning; it was only natural that no cure could be found. Rita moved to her computer and typed an email.

_'I found out the cause of the disease. It's not a virus. Please contact me asap for details.'_

She then dropped on her chair and checked her watch. Past 10 pm. Maybe it was time to get something to eat, and get some sleep afterwards. She still had a few exams left, after all. However, as she grabbed the sandwich in her bag, her phone rang. At first cursing silently, she immediately picked up the call at the sight of the caller's name.

"_Miss Mordio, I hope I am not bothering you."_

"No, not at all! Must I understand that you received my email?"

"_Indeed I have, and the matter is serious enough for me to phone you right away."_

"I understand. Well, about what I found–"

"_Miss Mordio, pardon my interruption but I was thinking it would actually be better if we met face to face to discuss about this. You could also show me the research you've done."_

"Oh." Rita blinked. Was he actually suggesting a real encounter? She would actually get to meet him and talk to the famous Duke Pantarei? _Wait, now I sound like some overexcited schoolgirl_. She scolded herself to reason.

"_Would there be a problem with it?"_ Duke asked, who had visibly been expecting a more developed answer.

"Oh no, not at all! I'm fine with that. When would you like to meet?"

"_Does tomorrow for lunch sound like a good time for you?"_

Rita thought quickly. She had an exam in the morning, but she could get out earlier if need be. "Yes, it does."

"_Very well. A car will be waiting for you at 11.45 in front of your university."_

"Y-You don't have to pick me up." Rita protested. "Just tell me where to meet and I'll go there.'

"_That would be very discourteous from me. I do not want it be said that I lacked the basics of courtesies towards a young lady."_

_Is that how all rich people behave?_ Rita sighed mentally. Well, she couldn't help it, could she? "Very well. 11.45 in front of the university."

"_Excellent. I will be looking forward to our meeting, then."_

Rita allowed herself to sigh heavily after hanging up. The next day was going to be interesting.

* * *

><p>Later on that night, Yuri was led once again to Whitehorse who welcomed him warmly.<p>

"Glad to see you again, boy. Have a seat and tell me everything." he said, leading him to a table where a few other Altosk members were having a drink. And Yuri made his report. He didn't omit a single detail of his dialogue with Raven, and the more he was speaking, the more the faces around him darkened. Not once was he interrupted, but as soon as he was done, Whitehorse hit the table violently with his fist, knocking over several drinks which spilled their content all over.

"Does that green horn think he can get away so easily?" he flared, a deep crease between his white brows. "Does he expect me to simply kill him and forget about everything he's done? That kid has always brought me nothing but trouble!"

It was almost funny hearing Raven being addressed as a 'kid'.

"We need to teach him a good lesson." Another man added.

"A quick death is too sweet for a traitor like him." A third one nodded.

Yuri didn't like that last sentence at all. "He's suffering more than you imagine." he intervened. "He has something binding him, and even though he refused to tell me what, I'm sure he's about as happy about it as you are."

"That's no excuse, son." Whitehorse replied darkly. "Yes, I know that Alexei is having a leverage on him somehow, but that's no excuse for everything he's done."

"Then what do you plan to do?" Yuri asked cautiously.

"If what you said is true, then we'll have to deal with Alexei's men on one side, and Raven's men on the other. If it's about number, then we're obviously at a disadvantage."

"We can ambush them." One of the other men suggested.

Whitehorse nodded. "We can. But we have to keep in mind to avoid any casualties among the people of the lower quarters. And there may also be demonstrators."

"The police won't care about that."

"But we are not the police." Whitehorse turned to Yuri. "I thank you for your cooperation and the precious information you gave us. I don't want to hold you here any longer."

"Wait." Yuri said. He hesitated for one second only before making his final decision. "Let me help you."

"It's going to be very dangerous, son."

"I know. But I remember your saying that you could do with some extra help."

Whitehorse laughed. "Your memory is good. And you know the ways of the lower quarters well, too. Alright, you're in, but under one condition: I'll have no thoughtless recklessness from you. You'll be with us, but if you have the option of endangering yourself or running away, you run away. Is that clear?"

Yuri felt like protesting, but he knew better than that. Instead he nodded.

"Good. We don't have much time to design a plan, but it's not like we haven't been prepared for months. Harry!" Whitehorse called his grandson. "Gather everyone here. We're gonna show that vermin what it means to anger Altosk. Blood is calling for blood!" he roared, and the entire room replied to his call.

* * *

><p>When Yuri opened his eyes on the next day, he felt that there was something wrong, as if he had forgotten something rather important.<p>

_The exam!_

He fumbled to grab his phone and check the time, and when he did, he let his head drop on the pillow again, stifling his heavy sigh.

_Well, damn._ He'd have to take the re-exam in a few months. He doubted he would have been able to write anything even if he had managed to wake up on time. When he had finally came back from the lower quarters, it was past 5 am and he had been practically struggling to climb each step of the staircases leading to his studio. And the coming night wasn't going to be much kinder to him. Yuri was starting to think that he may have as well settle in the lower quarters for the time being; that would have been more handy.

This thought triggered another one. He still had the rent to pay for this month, and in his half-awake state, he managed to vaguely remember asking Flynn for a bit of help. And...

_Right. I said I'd think about his offer to stay at his place._

Now wasn't the time to start thinking about complicated things. Yuri decreed that, since he had already missed the beginning of his exam, he might as well fall back to sleep. Which he did happily, until he was woken up again an hour later as his phone rang. _Stupid phone._ He let it ring. The phone bipped, indicating that someone had left a message. With a grunt, Yuri finally extended a lazy arm and grabbed the device. He mentally cursed himself when he saw that it was Flynn who had tried to call him. Yawning, he sat up on his bed and stretched himself before dialling Flynn's number.

"_Yuri? Where are you?"_ the boy on the other end of the line inquired.

"Hey, Flynn. I'm at home. Just woke up, actually." Yuri yawned again to make his point.

"_At home? But didn't you tell me you had an exam this morning? Are you sick?"_

Yuri pondered for a second on whether to tell the truth. If he did, he could be positive that he'd have to face the wrath of a certain blonde one. "I'm just a bit tired. Didn't manage to sleep much." It wasn't a complete lie, at least.

"_Do you want me to come over?"_

"Nah, it's fine, don't worry. Sorry I wasn't able to bring you some lunch." He heard Flynn chuckle.

"_Don't be silly. Your health matters more to me than your cooking."_

"How considerate of you."

"_Anyway, I suppose we won't be seeing each other today. I plan to go to the hospital this afternoon, and this evening, I'll be a bit busy... with my parents."_

Yuri frowned. "The hospital? Why? And what about your parents?"

"_Ah, I'll pay a short visit to Sodia's mother. She's been sick for quite some time. The flu, of course..."_

"Oh, I didn't know." Yuri replied, for lack of anything else to say.

"_She told me only recently."_

"And what about your parents?" Yuri repeated.

"_Ah, well... Let's say that things have become a bit tense since... you know..."_

"Yeah, I understand. How are you faring?"

"_Not too bad, actually. I'm supposed to negotiate the terms of the contract that will keep me silent. I can't believe I've reached a point where I can actually negotiate with my parents."_

"At your level, I'd call that blackmail, pure and simple."

"_Yuri..."_

"I know, I know. I was joking."

"_Anyway, you have plans for tomorrow? Since I probably won't see you today, I suppose we can do something tomorrow. Unless the demonstrations here turn half the city into ruins and we can't get out of our homes anymore."_

Yuri stiffened, though he quickly regained his composure. "I'm afraid I'll be a bit busy tomorrow. I... need to study for next week." _Sorry Flynn, but there are things best left untold._

There was silence on the other end of the line. Then: _"Yuri... you don't plan to go to the lower quarters, do you?"_

Yuri's heart almost failed a beat, but his reaction was quick enough not to let his half second of hesitation sound too suspicious – at least he hoped so. "Huh? What do you mean? Why would I want to go there?" _Does he read minds or something?_

"_Maybe because Alexei announced this morning that he would start an operation against those 'responsible for the bloodshed which tainted our city'?"_

"He said that? Flynn, I was sleeping through all this morning, how could I know about it?" Yuri lied, ignoring his quickening pulse. "Are you really serious?"

"_Yes, it's all over the news. He said he would send his forces to the lower quarters to eliminate any threat to his justice. Those who disrupted this city's quiet would be put to trial and sentenced accordingly."_

"Yeah, right. He plans to kill everyone off."

"_So you're not going there?"_

"I told you, I plan to study tomorrow." _I'm sorry, Flynn._

"_Swear to me that you're not going."_

Yuri flinched. Forcing a laugh, he tried to get a humorous tone: "Hey, hey, what's with you? I told you I didn't know about this thing before you told me."

"_Let's say that I know you tend to have... unwise reactions when it comes to Alexei."_

Yuri didn't know what to answer. The more he was lying to Flynn, the less comfortable he was and the closer he was to spill the truth. _But he's going to convince me to give up if I tell him that I'm going._

"_Yuri, swear it to me."_

_Gosh, how annoying can you be? _Yuri thought with slight irritation. "I... swear it." At that moment, Yuri felt like a small part of him had decayed inside of him. It didn't help to hear Flynn's relieved voice answering:

"_Good. Then in that case, how about we see each other on Sunday?"_

"Sunday? Sure, why not?"

"_I'll call you then. You should get some rest for now."_

"Yeah, yeah. See you, Flynn."

"_Goodbye, Yuri."_

When Yuri put down his phone, he felt guilt overwhelming him, cutting into him quite painfully like a blade that had been too sharpened. Flynn was trusting him way too easily, which made Yuri feel even worse. No matter how many times he repeated to himself that lying had been the best option for Flynn not to worry, a part of him was still screaming _'Fool!'_ at him. By offering to help Whitehorse, he had acted on a mere impulse, without really thinking about the consequences; but now that he had some time to ponder about it, he was starting to realize that he may have not made the wisest choice. Still, it was too late to back down, now. Flynn would certainly be mad at him, but it was an outcome he was ready to face, for he didn't regret his choice, wise or not. His talk with Raven had convinced him of one fact: he was too far involved in this to allow himself to stay at home while the lower quarters would be facing Alexei's forces. It was the place that had taken him in at a time he did not know where to go and what to do; it was the place he had met people – good and bad – whom he had shared three years of his life with, the place that had taught him to survive and strengthened both his mind and body. The least he could do was to return the favour.

Flynn would understand.

And if he didn't, then so be it.

* * *

><p>Estelle had stopped counting how many laps she had walked in her "room" in the basement. Her mind was much busier with what Khroma had showed her on the TV in the morning, and all day long, she had put her brain to contribution to find a way to get out of the place and stop her godfather's folly. Unfortunately, the more she thought about it, the more she realized her own powerlessness. What could a mere girl like her do? And assuming she could escape from this place, she had no effective means to convince Alexei to give up on the madness that had seized him. The pink-haired girl failed to comprehend how her once kind godfather had transformed into an unrecognizable cold and cruel man.<p>

_'In order to prevent crime from spreading any further, the lower quarters must be eradicated!'_

The words Alexei had pronounced on the TV were still ringing in her ears. This was utterly ridiculous! Why did the lower quarters need to be sacrificed in the name of an unfair justice? Estelle fell tears swelling up in the corner of her eyes as the memory of the article she had read in the newspaper Khroma had brought her. So many victims, for what? And among them, children whose only crime had been to live in the wrong place. In what way could they have threatened the town's peace? It was beyond absurd. And here she was, kept as a guarantee that her father would keep trying and sentencing people the way Alexei wanted to. A knot formed in her throat, preventing her from letting out a rage she had not suspected she could bear.

Images of what Khroma had shown her on the TV surfaced in her mind again. The news had displayed the neighbourhood around the lower quarters, streets filled with angry demonstrators throwing rocks at the police forces and wreaking havoc in any way they could, shouting and attempting to destroy police cars. A few people had tried putting flowers and candles and cards with names only to be dismissed more or less firmly. The scene was similar in front of the police headquarters, where Alexei was supposed to be. Abusive use of stun guns had been reported, and sirens were the main background noise. Even from her place, Estelle could hear them faintly if she paid careful attention. One day after the massacre, the citizens were demanding justice, and Alexei's demise. More injured had been reported and the announcement that Alexei had made early in the morning had only served to fuel the population's anger.

But Alexei didn't care. The ones holding the weapons were his men, not the citizens.

_'Anyone who gets in justice's way will be disposed of.'_ he had declared, much to Estelle's dismay.

The door lock clicked open, letting Khroma in with a tray of food in her hands. Estelle ran to her and gripped her arms so tightly the tray almost fell.

"You have to do something to stop him!" she burst out, her tone pleading. "Please, you can't allow this to happen! You can't allow more people to be killed for no reason at all!"

The fair woman looked unimpressed. She put the tray on a table. Her voice was calm as she replied: "You cannot reasonably ask me to do such a thing. It is beyond my power. And with you here, he has made sure that your father cannot pull any string to hinder him."

"Then let me go! Or tell my father that I am here!"

"That, I cannot do."

"Why?" Estelle asked, stomping her foot.

"Because I made a promise to Alexei not to tell anyone of your whereabouts. And I owe him too much to break any promise made to him."

"But..."

"And assuming I did inform your father, what do you think would happen? This house is under close watch. Neither your father nor any of the men he could send after you would be able to get near this place. Still, even if they somehow managed to get past the guards, what would happen next? After Alexei is done with the lower quarters, he will come back here, see that you are missing and go after your father. Once he gets rid of him and his family – that includes you –, Alexei will choose another prosecutor, less scrupulous, and everything will go on."

"My godfather would never do that to us! He and Father are childhood friends!" Estelle protested, though her horrified expression showed that she was only half-convinced by her own words.

Khroma's lips curled up into a sad smile. "Alexei has changed a lot."

Estelle pursed her lips. "How can you simply stand here and accept it?"

"I told you. I owe him more than I'll ever be able to repay."

"It is no excuse! If you think of him so highly, then you should stop him when you see that he is going on the wrong track! That is how you can repay him!" Estelle declared vehemently. For a second, her words seemed to trouble Khroma. Noticing it, Estelle continued the attack: "Perhaps you owe something to my godfather, but the man who currently calls himself Alexei Dinoia is not my godfather; he is just a man who has lost track on his true goal of justice and peace, and to such a man, you owe nothing!"

"Quiet down, young Miss." Khroma said calmly but firmly. However, the unrest on her traits was clearly visible.

"Khroma, please... You have to stop Alexei. You must..."

"Quiet, I said." the woman cut her in as she turned her back to Estelle and headed for the door. She leant her back against it with a sigh after shutting it behind her.

She had to stop him, huh?

Easier said than done.

* * *

><p>Rita's cheeks were as red as ripe tomatoes. She faced great trouble while fighting the urge to snap at the other students who were glancing at her queerly. It was basically to avoid such embarrassment that she had requested to meet directly at the restaurant, but no, courtesy had dictated Duke Pantarei to have a car waiting for her at the university. The car itself was almost boringly normal, though it was obvious at a first glance that not everyone could afford that polished black and blindingly shiny item. No, what was currently the object of Rita's torment was the handsome man in a black costume escorting her from the school's gates to the car, where another man as good-looking as the first one was waiting, holding the door open.<em> I want to die<em>. Rita kept thinking. _What the hell is wrong with those models-wannabe? Don't tell me that Pantarei's tastes lean that way._

The few metres separating her from the car seemed like light-years to her. Finally, she was allowed to step into the car, cursing mentally at all the students around her, and let out a small sigh when the door closed.

"Miss Mordio, it is a pleasure to meet you." a deep voice on the seat next to her made her jump. Turning her head, she got a hard time not looking intimidated when a pair of piercing crimson eyes gazed at her. Duke Pantarei's face was as pale as dawn, his colourless hair serving only to enhance the whiteness of his complexion; and yet there was no coldness to see on his traits as his lips formed a very faint smile. Even Rita could not deny that the man had plentiful of charm behind his stoic yet not hard expression. His traits were almost feminine, and his voice contrasted greatly with that first impression. Somehow it added to his charm. She felt her face warm up a bit and proceeded to cough slightly.

"Thank you for your time." she said with her most serious tone.

"I have to admit, I am impressed at how this town can still function normally despite what happened on the other day." Duke observed lightly. "I'd have expected schools and other public places to be closed for fear of demonstrations getting out of hand. Even the airport was functioning fine."

This was definitely not the topic Rita expected. She frowned. "There are demonstrations, in fact. But most of them are taking place near the lower quarters, which you can't see from here. But if you go there, you'll see that half the city is completely upside down."

"I see." was Duke's mere reply.

The car started. Contrary to her first belief, the trip was actually quite pleasant. Rita found herself questioned about her activities at the university and her various centres of interests. She felt at ease talking about her research and topics which she had worked on; Duke would sometimes ask her for more details and add some arguments of his in the discussion. Soon enough, Rita forgot she was talking to one of the most renowned scientists and CEO of the world. When they arrived at the restaurant though, reality caught up with her quite quickly. She almost grimaced when she saw the classy building with big, golden letters on the large front doors. It was another world, one she definitely did not belong to and did not want to belong to.

"Are you sure it's fine for me to come to such a place?" she asked, frowning.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I'm probably not dressed formally enough."

"Please do not worry about such details." Duke replied.

Indeed, they passed the doors – opened by two grooms – without any problem, even though Rita could have sworn that one of them had eyed her casual student uniform with some apprehension. They were soon led to a table for two in a private room where a waiter was already standing, as motionless as a statue. _Gosh, what the hell am I doing __here?_ Rita thought to herself. Well, at least it was only the two of them, which would prevent any undesirable stares. When she looked at the menu she was given, she mentally thanked Yuri for being a good cook enough so that she could recognize at least half the dishes. After the orders were placed, Duke crossed his fingers, his elbows resting on the table, and laid his eyes on Rita.

"So, perhaps we could start some more serious conversation? How about you tell me about what you found out yesterday?"

"Oh, sure!" Rita grabbed the bag at her feet. "I've brought a few stuff that summarize the various experiments I did. It doesn't go too far yet, but I think this is going on a better track than what we've been following for all these months." Displaying some papers on the table, she started commenting them, pointing at some diagrams here and numbers there, explaining the protocols for each of her tests as well as her reasoning. Duke listened to her without interrupting her even once, merely nodding from time to time.

"And so, to summarize, all those tests point to the fact that what has been responsible for this flu is actually not a virus, but a chemical reaction, am I correct?" he asked once she was done.

The girl nodded. "Yes, in fact I still don't know what causes the reaction and where the molecule comes from, but I'm certain it somehow attacks the tissues at different levels and gives the same symptoms as a flu, then it propagates to the lungs where it hinders gaseous exchanges at the air cells, hence the coughing. Well, that's only a hypothesis for now, though. But I believe I'm making progress."

Duke remained silent for two seconds, before he spoke again: "I am impressed, miss Mordio. Naturally, I would like to check your results with my colleagues first, but I am quite positive that the verifications will only prove you right, which places your work far above ours." he said calmly, his gaze not leaving Rita a single moment. She looked down at her papers, feeling slightly uncomfortable at those ruby eyes on her.

"It's not much." she said lightly. "I mean, I've simply analysed everything I found and tried plenty of tests."

"Still, your work is remarkable and worthy of praise. I was wondering if you would be kind enough to lend me those results of yours. We will continue our own research on a cure based on what you found. Naturally, your name will be mentioned."

"Oh, I don't care about the name." Rita shrugged. "But sure, take them, I've made copies."

"Thank you. Miss Mordio, I have to admit that you are a pretty interesting person." Duke said, and though Rita should have felt flattered by those words, something on the man's impassive expression left her with mixed feelings. _I'm just imagining things,_ she thought.

"Now I suggest we start eating. I'd be also happy to hear your ideas about further research on the disease."

The rest of the lunch passed pretty quickly, and in the end Rita was quite satisfied with herself as it seemed that she had earned much more recognition from Duke Pantarei than she had expected. If they worked all together, maybe they'd manage to find a cure in time to save Pia and everyone else.

* * *

><p>Friday afternoon approached, with the sky cloudless and the weather warm. Unfortunately enough, Yuri wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. He wasn't supposed to be at the orphanage; yet there he was, standing in front of the building. None of the kids were playing outside, though he could see small silhouettes running here and there through the windows. What had he come here for? He wasn't sure of the reason himself. Perhaps he wanted to see that place once more before leaving to the lower quarters. As if he wasn't certain he would be able to come back later. His thoughts were constantly interrupted by images of Flynn popping in his head. <em>I'll be careful,<em> Yuri kept repeating to himself. _If need be, I can run away._ The words sounded wrong in his head. He wasn't one to run away, for running away would mean leaving behind the others who would most likely be in a desperate situation. Would Flynn understand if he were to get hurt again while defending the lower quarters? Would he forgive him for hiding the truth from him? _Probably not._ _Or maybe if I die_. A bitter smile graced Yuri's lips.

Now wasn't the time to nourish such pessimistic thoughts. Now was the time to–

"Yuri!"

The raven-haired male turned round, surprised. "Rita, Karol! Already back?" Meeting them here was definitely not part of his plans. He could simply pretend it was a quick courtesy visit.

"We didn't have any exam this afternoon, and we still have to look over the kids here." Karol explained. Then glancing sideways at Rita, he added: "Even if I know someone who'd have rather spend the night at school."

"Well, I'm a busy woman, what can I say?" the brunette retorted dryly. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Yuri?"

"Just thought I'd see how things are going here. I was about to leave. The area seems quiet around here."

"Yeah, for now." Rita nodded. "But with that declaration of war that bastard Alexei made today, I fear the town's not gonna be safe anymore. We're lucky the orphanage is only in the outskirts, but still."

"Come have a snack with us while you're here." Karol offered, but Yuri shook his head.

"I was already on my way back." he said. At the same moment, his phone rang. The incoming number was unknown. Frowning, he picked the call anyway.

"Yuri speaking."

"_Yuri Lowell, my name is Khroma."_ a feminine voice said. _"I currently have your friend Estellise Sidos Heurassein with me."_

Yuri froze on the spot at the mention of Estelle's name. He clutched his phone hard. "Who are you?"

"_It doesn't matter now. What matters is that you have to take your friend back." _The woman's voice was soft and quiet.

"Where is she?" Yuri prompted her at once. Now Rita looked interested in the conversation. She eyed him questioningly, her head slightly tilted on the side. Yuri put the speakers on for both his friends to listen.

"_I will give you the address. However, it will not be an easy task to retrieve her. Listen to me, and listen to me well. Tomorrow, Alexei and most of his troops will be busy fighting against Altosk and reducing the lower quarters to ashes. The place where your friend is being held will be guarded, but there should be four or five guards at most. I know you were a former member of the Leviathan's Claw; you should be able to deal with them. Bring along friends of yours if you want. The guards won't expect anything, which will make your task easier."_

"Why should I believe you?" Yuri inquired, incredulous. It could be a trap, for all he knew.

"_Because it is the only opportunity you will have to get your friend back."_

"Why aren't you telling this to Estelle's father? I'm pretty sure he would also like to have his daughter back." Yuri said with obvious sarcasm in his tone.

"_Because the guards know him and have been ordered to stop him would he come too close to this place. The same goes for any suspicious-looking person."_

"And I wouldn't look suspicious?" Yuri sneered.

"_Your face is unknown to them, and I'm sure you can look like a normal student."_

"If you're so keen on having Estelle escape, why don't you do it yourself?"

There was a short pause. _"There is something else I must do."_

"What?"

"_Yuri Lowell, now is not the time to question my actions. Do you wish to save her or not?"_

"Let me talk to her."

"_I cannot. I already told her about the plan, and she disapproves of it. She thinks it would be too dangerous for you. She doesn't want you to take risks for her."_

Yuri gritted his teeth. Glancing at his friends, he read the same questions as his on their incredulous faces. Could he trust that mysterious person? What reason would she have to want to help Estelle? What reason would she have to want to trap Yuri? He represented no danger for Alexei, he knew at least that much. But if he went for Estelle, it'd mean abandoning Whitehorse and the lower quarters, and he couldn't afford that as they were already counting on him. On the other hand, there was no one else who was capable of sneaking into the place Estelle was being held in. Judy, maybe? But he had no time to get in touch with her.

"_Your answer, Yuri Lowell?" _Khroma urged him.

_Damn it._ He had to go to the lower quarters to settle things once and for all with Raven and Alexei. _But I can't abandon Estelle._

It was Rita who replied, snatching the phone from Yuri's hand:

"Of course we're gonna take her back. Tell us the details." she demanded with authority.

* * *

><p>On his way to the lower quarters, Yuri couldn't help but wonder if he had made the most sensible choice. His face darkened as he replayed his conversation with Rita and Karol after the phone call.<p>

"_What the hell did you hesitate for?" Rita asked reproachfully._

"_Well, sorry for being cautious, but that sounded far too weird for me."_

"_Maybe, but we can't know until we try. So, tomorrow we're going there and get Estelle out of that place."_

"_I can't go." he replied with a low tone._

"_What do you mean?" Karol inquired, surprised._

"_Are you scared you may get caught?" Rita scoffed at him. "I didn't know you so coward."_

"_That's not it!" he retorted back. "Tomorrow, I'll be with Altosk to defend the lower quarters!"_

"_I must have misheard. What did you say?" Rita frowned._

_He sighed. "I've met Whitehorse, and he needs every hand he can find. I'm only returning a favour I owe him."_

"_You're insane!" Karol intervened. "You're gonna get killed!"_

"_Better that than idling around while Alexei destroys the lower quarters."_

"_Does Flynn know about it?"_

_He looked away, silent, which was an eloquent answer enough._

"_You're being a fool, Yuri. And you never learn." Rita stated coldly before letting out a sigh. "But we can't change the way you are. You know Flynn's gonna kill you if Alexei doesn't do it before."_

"_Rita! Don't say stuff like that!" Karol protested. "Yuri's gonna be fine! Maybe you can just tell Whitehorse you need to change your plans because you have someone you need to rescue!"_

"_I can't do that." he replied grimly. "There are still a few things I want to settle with the old man." He almost bit his treacherous tongue for letting the last sentence slip out._

"_Who?"_

_He shook his head. "Never mind."_

"_So you're not changing your mind then." Rita stated. "Fine. Karol and I will go for Estelle while you get your ass beaten."_

"_Rita!" Karol protested again, but the girl ignored him._

"_Don't worry about us, we'll manage without you." she went on._

"_You don't have to–"_

"_Of course we do! Estelle's waiting for us, there's no way we can let her down!"_

"_It can be dangerous."_

"_Hah! As if it could be more dangerous than your suicidal decision to fight Alexei." Rita said with disdain. "Don't forget that Karol and I are the best when it comes to sneaking into dangerous places."_

"_Climbing walls and picking locks to steal food in the kitchen or toys in Pia's office don't count as dangerous, Rita."_

"_It doesn't change the fact that we are still the best at that."_

"_You haven't completely recovered from your wounds, Rita."_

"_Enough!" Rita whacked him on the head. Hard. "Don't underestimate us! Karol, you tell him too!"_

"_Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah. Don't worry, Yuri. We'll be fine." Karol nodded with confidence. "That Khroma woman told us exactly what to do, after all."_

"_That's what makes me worry, actually." Yuri said thoughtfully. "It could still be just a big trap."_

"_Alexei wouldn't gain anything by trapping us. From what you said, it's Whitehorse he wants. Now stop with your useless arguments or I'll tell Flynn on you. You've got no right to tell us what to do when you yourself are going to fool around stupidly in the lower quarters. Just go do whatever you have to do." Rita shooed him away. "And come back unharmed." she muttered._

It was sheer folly, Yuri kept repeating to himself. Utterly and completely. And Rita and Karol were as crazy as him. But it was either that, or staying at home and praying for a miracle. If there was one thing he had learnt during his three years in the lower quarters, it was that miracles didn't occur on prayers. Therefore the choice was quick to make.

As Yuri got closer to the lower quarters, he noticed that the noises weren't so loud as on the previous day. Well, it seemed that Alexei's forces had been rather dissuasive. There were still groups of people protesting in front of the police cars, yet they were scarcer. Evening had fallen over the city, and the orange sky was slowly drifting to a darker shade of blue. In the morning, the same sky would probably be tainted red. Was there hope for Whitehorse to defeat Alexei? Probably, but it would come at a certain cost. Yuri shivered, but it wasn't of cold. His hand unconsciously reached for the phone in his pocket.

_Flynn, _he thought. He needed to hear his voice. He needed tohear him laugh. He needed to see him smile, to feel his hand on his cheek and his lips on his own. _Not now._ Yuri couldn't be distracted now. Tomorrow, when everything would be over, yes. But not now. If he heard Flynn's voice now, he feared his resolve would somehow waver. A knot of guilt was still tied around his throat. Before he even realized it, he was already typing a message to Flynn.

_'Flynn, I'm sorry.'_ he sent.

He turned off his phone and shoved it back in his pocket. It was feeble, he knew it, but it was all he could do.

Yuri made a detour around a few buildings to avoid any unwanted attention and made his way into the lower quarters through the path that Harry had shown him. Soon enough, he realized that he didn't need to conceal himself, as there was no patrol left in the streets. _Of course, since they plan to raze everything to the ground._ The inhabitants were not inactive, however. If some of them had fled the quarters, most still remained for they had no other place to go to. Shutters were closed, locks had been put to doors when possible. There was one place which remained open, and it was precisely Yuri's destination.

Altosk's headquarters were more crowded than usual when he arrived. Though small, the number of unknown faces was not negligible. Some Altosk men guarding the entrance recognized Yuri and let him pass with a nod. Inside, one could have almost believed that it was an evening like any other, as the hubbub, the noise and the beer looked no different than on any normal day. However, the determination on the faces of the men and women there betrayed that apparent normality. And when getting closer, one could hear that the conversations were definitely not one you would casually have in your everyday life.

Unless planning to crush Alexei Dinoia along with his patrols were part of your everyday life.

"Yuri!" a child's voice called out his name in the middle of the ruckus.

As he turned round, he spotted Whitehorse's grandson waving at him in the middle of the crowd. The boy motioned him to come.

"Yuri, it's good to see you." Harry said with a smile.

"I promised to help, didn't I? Anyway, how come there are so many people here?"

"Let's say they are temporarily working for Altosk. See, most people of the lower quarters can't fight, but those who refuse to wait for Alexei to destroy their homes are welcome here."

"I see... But how can you be sure there are no spies among them?"

"All of them are either close friends or relatives of Altosk members. Grandpa said to refuse all the others. I guess you can't be too cautious." Harry replied, crossing his arms. "So, are you ready for tomorrow?"

Yuri managed to smile. "I've no idea. When I was with the Claw, I had never been in such a situation. But don't worry too much about me, I don't plan to fail Whitehorse. What about you? I hope your grandfather hasn't ordered you to stand on the front line."

"No, he hasn't." Harry replied very seriously. "And I'm not stupid enough to believe I'd be of any use there. I mean, he's been training me well, but for now he says I'm not ready for big stuff like this. So instead he put me in charge of communications."

"That's good to hear."

"In any case, I guess you should go see Grandpa. He's meeting with the others to discuss the details of the ambushes, among other things."

"I'll do so."

"Don't forget to get some rest too."

The laugh Yuri let out was strained. "And don't talk to me as if you were my father."

The night promised to be long.

* * *

><p>The streets themselves were desert and as quiet as an abandoned city. However, outside the quarters, noise of hundreds of people massing around the neighbourhood and protesting could be heard, like a muffled cacophony. Yuri couldn't hear them from where he was, though. On his request, he had been put into the team in charge of dealing with Raven's squad.<p>

According to Whitehorse, there was but one passage which only he and Raven knew, and it led into the small stone courtyard of an old building. The entrance to the courtyard was a large archway which entrance looked sealed off but which could actually be opened to reveal a tunnel. There was a big, broken fountain in the middle of the courtyard and the place obviously needed a bit of gardening. Upright and over two stories were two stone balconies circling around the whole yard and supported with thick pillars. Yuri was hidden behind one of them, and the rest of the team was scattered in the same way over the two balconies. As soon as the door of the archway would open, anyone stepping out of it would be shot on the spot.

Might as well say the yard was the perfect place to set an ambush. _And the old man probably knew it when he chose that place._ Yuri had stopped counting how many times he had called Raven a coward. He was coming there on purpose to die, which irked Yuri to no end. He was also leading his squad to certain death. _And what about that promise you were so keen on keeping? How do you plan to keep it if you're dead?_ However, Whitehorse's orders had been particularly clear.

_'I want Raven alive so I can skin him myself.'_ Altosk's leader had declared. He had said nothing about the men who would accompany him, but the implicit meaning of that silence was obvious enough. By coming here, Yuri had promised himself not to kill anyone – and not to be killed either – though he also knew that battles were never won with half-hearted feelings. Still, he had refused the handgun given to him, preferring two long daggers and a set of throwing knives. Blades were the main weapons he had been taught with during his stay at the Leviathan's Claw. And the few sparring rounds he had gone through on the previous night had proved him not so rusty as he'd have feared. Yuri glanced on his right, at the leader of the team, Elias. The latter had an earpiece and a microphone on him in order to remain connected with the second team, the one in charge of dealing with Alexei. He had neither moved nor given any sign indicating that the operation had started on the northern part of the lower quarters.

As a precaution, Whitehorse had put a few of his men on the roofs in several parts of the quarter to check in case Alexei would actually attack from another direction.

The plan on Yuri's side was simple: secure Raven and the area, and then move north to join the rest of Whitehorse's men against Alexei. In case of failure, shoot an emergency rocket and withdraw using the various escape routes. At least, it was the theory. Whitehorse had made it clear that failure would most likely result in the same slaughter that had occurred a few days ago, only on a bigger scale.

Yuri shook his head. He couldn't think of defeat before it even began. _Flynn,_ he repeated the name mentally like a mantra. _Flynn, Flynn, Flynn. You'll have every right to hate me afterwards. Flynn..._

A first gunshot echoed in the far, making him and the others raise their heads to the north. Another one followed. And another one. _It's started._ Yuri focused his attention back on the archway. It wouldn't be long before the sealed door was cracked open. The mere thought of trapping Raven and his men like rabbits made him feel sick. It was one thing to deliberately choose death, but dragging along plenty of other officers who were merely following orders was something Yuri had more trouble digesting. But he couldn't change anything about it. _And those cops could have chosen not to follow those stupid orders, they could have chosen to refuse destroying the lower quarters._ They were as guilty as Alexei was. This last thought eased his doubts a bit, though not as much as what he'd have wanted.

The other Altosk members were visibly on the edge as well, with guns and rifles aiming at the door. A few like Yuri were holding knives. Blades always became handy when running out of ammunitions. Amusingly enough – if such a word could be used – those were also former Claw members, though Yuri hadn't really had the opportunity to talk about good old times with them.

The sounds of the clash between Alexei's men and Whitehorse's were getting louder and more violent. Yuri gritted his teeth. How could the situation have worsened to this point? Barely a few months ago, the town was still a quiet and normal place to live, and now, by the madness of a single megalomaniac, the whole nation was sinking under riots and this very town was turning into a miniature battlefield. It almost sounded too surrealistic to Yuri, and yet, there he was, caught willingly in the middle of that nonsense.

A cracking noise made Yuri focus again. His eyes were locked on the archway, and within a few seconds, in the heavy silence of the courtyard, he heard footsteps crunching against the gravels. _Here he comes._ Guns clicked and were armed. Yuri produced a knife. The footsteps turned more numerous and louder. In a few seconds, Raven would appear by the entrance of the archway. The atmosphere got thicker and tenser.

And suddenly, a shout rose from within the tunnel. The next second, something was thrown out of it and started filling the place with dense smoke. Yuri cursed mentally. So Raven still intended to put on a fight, didn't he? The smokescreen rendered all the snipers useless, and Yuri wasn't the only one cursing behind his hiding spot. He glanced at the leader who motioned to everyone to stay still. In the span of ten seconds, the courtyard was entirely concealed by swirls of smoke, forcing everyone to cover their faces. _Damn it. This is suffocating._

The bang of a gun being fired made him jump slightly. _How the hell can they aim without seeing a damn thing?_ The round hit a stone pillar. The place was in open air, therefore it would be a matter of minutes only before Yuri would be able to see anything again. He heard someone shift next to him, and shoot. _Idiot! Don't waste your bullets!_ Yuri wanted to shout at him, but words died in his throat as a cry of pain rose and the sound of a weapon falling on the ground was heard. _What the hell? Those bastards managed to get him?_ Yuri frowned and risked a glance downstairs, in the yard. The smoke was still too heavy to make out anything clear, though he was certain he spotted some dark shadows moving around. He didn't have time to reflect any further as another shot rang, and a round grazed the pillar behind which he was standing. _Damn! They really can see us!_

"So that's how Altosk fight?" a voice sniggered. It wasn't Raven's. "By hiding like scared little things?"

_Speak for yourself._ By now, Yuri had understood. Most likely they were equipped with devices allowing them to see through the smoke, and the first shot's purpose had been to draw out the snipers. Well, it wouldn't work for long. _Unless they have more smokescreen, which is most likely._ Yuri thought darkly.

"You bastard should all die!" someone shouted as they started firing blindly into the yard. Another one followed, and another one.

"Don't move!" Yuri yelled, but it was too late. A second later, the shooters all collapsed with stifled cries.

"They can see us!" the team's leader shouted. "Don't move from your spots!"

"Yeah, yeah, hide yourselves in your holes, like the worms you are!" a voice from below yelled back.

"Enough, Devan." a composed voice ordered. _Old man_, Yuri recognized it immediately. "Save your breath. Dispatch."

The fog was steadily thinning, and the silhouettes were getting clearer.

"Get 'em!" Elias shouted.

Yuri and the others didn't need to be told twice. Rifles blared in a thundering racket as Altosk men fired with rare aggressiveness at the moving forms below. Bullets were flying in both way, mostly ricochetting against the pillars, though Yuri saw more than one person let their weapon drop, with blood pooling under them. _This is not going as good as planned._ The losses on their side were supposed to be none or close to. He aimed, and threw a knife which went to plant itself directly in a policeman's thigh. A quick glance showed him that Raven was suffering losses on his side as well. It would be a mistake to underestimate the resistance of the people of the lower quarters. _But you already know that, old man._ At the same time, he spotted Raven taking shelter behind the fountain and taking down a man on the balcony. All of his squad's members were wearing some strange goggles and masks. _Probably the things that allow them to see us through the smoke._

"They're climbing! Watch your backs! Don't let them in!" Some Altosk warned. Yuri quickly turned round and unsheathed his long dagger, then rushed to the entrance of the staircases and crouched down on one side of it. He was soon joined by another team mate who took place on the other side. As soon as the first cop passed through the entrance, Yuri slashed at his ankles while his team mate shot down the second one. _Just how many died already?_ Yuri had no time to count. His heart was beating wildly against his chest, and the one thought in his head was survival. His body was almost moving on its own, fuelled by his survival instinct and his few years of training, though his hands were slightly trembling. Nevertheless, he kept slashing, feeling warm blood splutter on his arms.

"Don't let them in!" Elias repeated. If Raven's men could take hold of the balconies, it would be the end. Deafening bursts of gunfires were ringing constantly in Yuri's ears. _How many of them left?_ He wondered desperately.

"Hold firm! We're having the upper hand!" Their team leader encouraged. And indeed they were. Though the ambush had not been as efficient as planned, it was still working out somehow. There was almost no fog left. Most of the policemen were trapped downstairs and the few who had managed to climb up were now lying, either unconscious or worse.

Raven's voice rose. "Miley! Another one!" he ordered, and the woman called Miley threw something at her feet. A 'psshhh' noise was heard again, and the place was soon filled with thick smoke again, eliciting numerous curses from Yuri's team members. _Here they go again._

"Take cover!" Elias ordered. Yuri narrowed his eyes as smoke was starting to irritate them. His sleeve upon his mouth, he choked several times as his lungs were filled with smoke. A sudden cry caught his attention.

"What the–Aaah!"

"Hey! Who's–Ugh!"

"What's happening?!"

Several other similar exclamations resounded, mixed with strange noises which sounded like sharp thuds, as if someone was using a blunt object to hit Raven's squad members.

"She's there!" There were gunshots.

"Get her!" More gunshots.

Yuri frowned. _She?_ He risked a glance downstairs, even though he could barely make out anything, but there was definitely some action there. Pained wails kept succeeding to each other, and Yuri was obviously not the only one troubled by the unexpected help.

"It's only one person, get her!" Voices yelled, panicked, until Raven's laughter echoed in the yard.

"Gotcha." he merely said, and Yuri could have almost imagined the smile on his lips. "Back off, everyone. This one's mine."

The fog was lifting up, and Yuri's eyes opened wide when the identity of the mysterious intruder was revealed. Down there, dozens and dozens of bodies littered the scarlet-stained ground, and in the middle, standing as motionless as statues were Raven and Judith. The latter had a fist barely an inch from the former's face, her arm stopped by Raven's strong grip while his other hand was pointing a gun at point blank at her forehead. Despite her obviously disadvantageous situation, Judith was still smiling, though her eyes were throwing fierce daggers. All around them, the remaining policemen took aim at her, waiting for further orders.

"Hello, _Damuron_." Judith greeted him as if they had just met in the street.

"Judith." the latter merely replied.

"What? No 'darling' or 'dear'? I'm surprised." Judith smiled before lifting her head to the balconies. "What are you waiting for? I almost did all the job for you."

Several shots banged, and soon enough, Raven and Judith were the only one standing in the courtyard. Yuri winced when he saw the casualties. Some bodies were still moving, their faces twisted in pain. Next to him, several corpses were lying, eyes open wide and a thin strand of blood leaking down their mouths. He felt like throwing up. Was it how it had happened three days ago, when innocent people from the lower quarters had been shot down like rabbits? His stomach threatened to heave, and the stench of burned flesh and smoky air didn't help him. Something warm trailed down his shaking hand. There was no pain, making him deduce the blood wasn't his. It made him even sicker. He quickly wiped off the trail with his sleeve. When he turned his attention back to the scene downstairs, Raven had lowered his gun.

"What are you waiting for, Judith?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, would you like me to kill you?" she tilted her head on the side. "No, that'd be too kind. You don't deserve kindness. And I think someone else here would like to have the honour of beating you to a pulp. Am I wrong, Yuri?" she asked, directing her gaze at the boy who rose his eyebrows, surprised.

Raven immediately turned round as well, and as soon as he spotted Yuri, his face darkened. Or rather, it turned sad.

"Yuri... I really hoped you wouldn't come." he said, disappointed, though it was hard to determine whether the feeling was directed at Yuri or at himself. "So it is you who told Judith about this."

"Yuri didn't tell me anything." Judith replied. "Let's say I just happened to walk by when the both of you were talking on the other day. Oh, and by the way, Yuri, I suggest you prepare yourself once all of this is over. There is a certain someone wishing strongly for your death as we speak." she addressed the long-haired male, still smiling. Seeing Yuri's puzzled face, she added: "I saw Flynn yesterday at the hospital. I fear I let slip a bit more than I should have to him. He wasn't happy."

"Oh." was Yuri's mere answer.

"Anyway, gentlemen of Altosk, if you'd be so kind as to let me deal with this man–" Judith went on before being interrupted by Elias:

"We cannot do that. Whitehorse requested that we deliver this traitor to him alive."

"Oh I don't plan to kill him, I simply wish to have a private talk with him. I'll deliver him to Whitehorse right after I'm done."

"Could you please stop talking about me as if I wasn't here?" Raven intervened, but he only managed to earn himself a punch in the stomach from Judith, sending him on his knees with a wince of pain.

"You're really irritating, Damuron. Please shut up for now." she said kindly.

"I'm afraid we cannot let you do as you will, young miss." Elias insisted. "Our orders are to–"

"–bring him back alive? Fine." In the blink of an eye, Judith had her gun right on Raven's forehead. "Let's make a deal then. If you refuse to let me have a talk with him, I'll shoot a nice hole in his brain – provided that he actually have one – and you can say goodbye to Whitehorse's orders."

"You'll die if you do that." Elias replied coldly.

Yuri felt tension rising and thought it best to try and cool it down. "I think it's fine to leave them be. We've got enough dead like this here, no need to add some more. She'll keep her word." he asserted.

"Thank you, Yuri." Judith smiled at him. Though she always seemed to be cheerful and smiling, Yuri knew better than to provoke her any further. She could be as icy as her smiles were warm, he had learnt a few months ago.

The leader seemed to hesitate, and the remaining Altosk members were also muttering among themselves.

"We're done here." Yuri insisted. "We're supposed not to waste time here and meet with Whitehorse in the northern part."

"Fine." Elias replied dryly. "You take responsibility if something happens to Raven."

"Yeah, yeah." Yuri mumbled.

"We're leaving, everyone!" Elias ordered. "Julian, you take the injured back to the headquarters and you see to them!" Then, on a lower tone, he added: "We'll take care of our dead once we're done with Alexei."

Shouts of 'Let's go' and 'Let's smash Alexei's face!" echoed in the courtyard as everyone moved forward, leaving Raven and Judith behind. Yuri hesitated. He still had questions for Raven; he still needed explanations from him, and he still itched to land a punch on him. He glanced at Judith who winked at him and formed the word 'Go' with her lips. Reluctantly, he followed the others.

Judith waited for the place to turn empty before turning her attention back to Raven. Blood was trailing down his right temple, but he seemed not to notice it. His uniform which was once bright orange and white was covered with dust, dirt and dried blood. He let himself drop on the edge of the fountain, sitting there the same way an old man would have done when he was tired of living. Acute pain suddenly seared through him and he clutched at his chest tightly, breathing hard.

"Having some heart problems?" Judith asked, though her tone didn't betray any concern.

"Something like that." Raven replied as he panted.

"Alexei really messed up with you when he fixed you." she said as she sat down beside him.

"I was able to live longer thanks to him."

"Do you like the life he gave you?"

Raven didn't reply. The pain was receding slowly, though the mechanical beats in his chest sounded irregular. And then a cold barrel was on his temple.

"I wonder what would happen if I pulled the trigger." Judith wondered absent-mindedly.

"The Don wouldn't be happy." Then he murmured: "I would, though."

The fine woman chose to ignore it. "He wants Raven alive, not Damuron Atomais."

"Playing with words, aren't we?"

"At least I'm not playing with other people's lives." she replied, lowering her weapon. "You know, your discussion with Yuri in the graveyard really pissed me off."

"I got the same reaction with Yuri. It seems like the only thing I managed to do is pissing people off." He sighed. "Damn, I really didn't want the kid to come to this carnage."

Judith turned her eyes to him and gave him her most serious gaze. "Why didn't you tell me anything?" she asked. "Why did hide yourself from me?"

"You deserve better than to be dragged into that mess."

"Don't you think the decision should be mine?"

Several seconds passed before Raven replied: "I was never good with dealing with people."

"That's no excuse."

Her words were followed by silence broken by dampened noises of the fights in the north quarters. At some point, Raven raised his head to the open sky.

"Can't you find any mercy in you to finish me off?" he asked wearily, gazing upwards.

"So you're really serious about dying." Judith stated, and though her voice was never cold, the tone clearly bore no warmth in it.

"Is it such a bad thing? Think about it. Having me gone would mean having half your problems gone."

"That would be too easy for you. Though it is true I want to kill the one called Damuron Atomais." She got on her feet and dusted off her clothes. Then, without any warning, she grabbed Raven roughly by the collar and shoved him on the ground, pointing her gun at him again. "So die and give me back Raven."

She pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>Estelle had not managed to sleep on that night, and tiredness was clearly visible on her face. Still, she was pacing back and forth in her room, unable to dismiss the distress gnawing at her and torturing her mind like acid. The mere thought of more victims had made her cry the whole night, and her eyes were swollen and red, and yet she couldn't do anything. Khroma had left her without a word after Estelle had refused to call Yuri for help.<p>

Maybe she had made the wrong decision; maybe it'd have been better if she had accepted, maybe by now she would be free, and would have been able to get her father to stop Alexei. Or maybe Yuri would have been caught by the guards. She shook her head. It was too late now, anyway.

The familiar clicking of the door made her jump. Who could it be? Khroma wasn't supposed to come back before hours, and the guards never checked on her. Or perhaps it was her godfather who was already done and was coming to announce the news to her. The thought of it made her shudder. The door opened carefully – suspiciously too carefully to Estelle's taste. She frowned, then her eyes opened wide when she saw who appeared behind the door.

"I told you, only four seconds to pick it!" Karol murmured proudly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Rita replied. "Estelle! You're really here!" she exclaimed, though she was careful to keep her voice down. Karol closed the door behind them.

"Rita? Karol? B-But how–"

"No time for questions. We're getting you out of here."

The girl felt both astounded yet happy beyond words. How was it possible? She ran to Rita and hugged her tight, as if to make sure it was real. "Oh Rita, it's you, it's really you! And you too, Karol!"

"Yeah! We came to rescue you!"

"Keep it down, there are still guards up there." Rita warned them. "Let's not waste time. Come on."

"But the guards–"

"We took care of those in the basement. Now we need to sneak out without the others spotting us."

"How–"

"Save the questions for later!" Rita said impatiently.

Estelle's head suddenly felt light. Her face lit up as they exited the room and made their ways to the staircases, while careful to step over the bodies of two guards lying there, sleeping soundly. To Estelle's silent question, Rita merely produced a spray bottle from her bag.

"One of my greatest prides." she murmured. "Rita's special 3-hour-certain-sleep formula. You knock out an elephant with that."

"I keep saying you're a scary girl." Karol whispered.

"I'm a genius, that's different. Oh crap." she cursed under her breath.

"Wh–" Karol started, but Rita put a finger on her lips.

There were footsteps upstairs. Most certainly one of the guards. The footsteps were getting louder and louder. Rita reacted quickly. She strode up the staircase and jumped in front of the man who didn't see her coming. Before he could react, she had used her spray all over his face. The problem rose when the man dropped on the floor loudly. Immediately after, another man's voice echoed upstairs.

"Crap." Rita cursed again. "We run. Now."

The others didn't need to be told twice. Karol grabbed Estelle's hand and they rushed to the main entrance without looking behind.

"Hey! Stop there!" one of the guards prompted as he strode down the stairs.

"Hurry!" Rita urged. "We need to reach the main street!" They would be safe as long as they made it outside, in the middle of the other strollers. They crossed the hall at the entrance of the house, ignoring the angry footsteps pursuing them. Karol literally kicked the door open and the three of them ran outside in the garden of the villa. "We're almost there! Hurry up!"

The gate was only a dozen metres away from them, but then Estelle tripped on her dress and fell.

"Estelle!" Karol and Rita helped her up. The latter swore.

"I should have brought explosives!" she snapped, dragging Estelle to the gate.

"Stop or I'll shoot!" the guard behind them was catching up to them.

_He wouldn't dare now that we're outside. There are people out there!_ Rita thought, but a glance back showed her that the man was already aiming at them.

"Khroma said they were ordered not to draw attention! They can't shoot!" Karol said out loud.

"We aren't out yet!" Rita retorted back. "Stun rounds, is what that woman said. So he won't hesitate to shoot!" And indeed he didn't. A round flew by her, missing her only by a few inches.

Only ten metres left to the gate.

_We'll be fine soon._ Only five metres left. Another bullet was shot. It missed again. Estelle gasped, but Karol urged her on, still holding her hand.

"Hurry!"

One metre. They crossed the gate, hearing curses behind their backs, and knew they were safe. Just to be sure, they kept running farther away, around the corner and farther, where some walkers glanced strangely at them. The three of them finally stopped their wild run, panting heavily, their hearts beating crazily fast.

Karol grinned. "Mission accomplished! Yuri owes us a damn good meal!"

* * *

><p>"Let's hurry! The Don is waiting for us!" Elias prompted. Yuri and the others were running as quickly as possible, ignoring any protest from their legs. "It seems like there are victims among the civilians too." he kept on reporting. "Demonstrators and people from the lower quarters have been caught between the fires." he panted. "But we're having the upper hand!"<p>

_But it's not over yet._ The mood was definitely better, though. There was hope to take Alexei down, there was hope to put an end to that man's insane schemes. It was all that mattered for now. Smoke was rising in columns in front of them, behind several blocks of buildings; gunshots were getting louder and louder, shouts could faintly be heard if one paid close attention. Yuri's heart had never beat so quickly. _It'll be over soon_, he repeated to himself. _And then I'll apologize to Flynn._ Flynn's reaction was the one thing he wasn't looking forward to, but that concern would come in due time, after everything was over.

"Those without guns, follow me!" Elias ordered, his hand on his earpiece. "Ren told me there's an isolated patrol attempting to get Whitehorse from behind. We'll ambush them discreetly from the east side! The rest of you, go straight forward and meet with the others!"

Yuri and a few others made a detour, following Elias through the streets until the latter motioned them to stop in a narrow alley, right before a crossroad. "Ren said there are ten of them. They have to pass by this crossroad. We need to be silent in order not to attract any other patrol. I want three of you on the other side. As soon as they pass by us, we butcher them, got it? Don't let them use their guns. Tia and Nelly, you go round the block and get them from behind. And remember, the quicker, the better."

"So it's a three-side attack, huh?" the girl called Nelly smirked. "I like this."

_What does he take us for? Assassins? _Yuri didn't like the idea at all, yet now wasn't the time to be delicate. Within a few seconds, everyone had moved silently to their respective spots, and within a minute, the patrol was but a mere memory. The two that Yuri had stabbed were still alive, though they would probably not be able to move a limb for a while.

"You're too soft, Yuri." one of his team member told him.

"Probably." he merely replied.

"Let's get moving! We have to–what? NO!" Elias exclaimed in horror. "Harry, confirm, confirm! CONFIRM AT ONCE!" he shouted in his mic.

"What is it?" the others inquired. "What happened?"

Elias had stopped moving, and his face had suddenly darkened. The hand on his earpiece was shaking. "No... Damn it, NO!" He sucked in his breath. "Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure?" He let out a cry of rage.

"They got the Don." he announced with a trembling voice.

Immediately, roars of anger and ire rose. Some were too stunned to speak and their horror-struck faces were the only indication of their current state of mind. Even Yuri had trouble believing it. The great Don Whitehorse, down? It couldn't be. His fists clenched and he felt his blood boiling. It was impossible. He hadn't even had the opportunity to give Raven the bashing he deserved! He couldn't die before even seeing Raven once again!

"Are you certain?" he urged Elias, shaking his shoulder.

"I am. I had it confirmed several times." the other replied darkly. "We have to hurry on and take those bastards down."

"Let's avenge the Don!" Tia raged, her eyes shining. Her cry was followed with several others.

"They won't get away with that!"

"We're gonna send them to the depths of hell!"

"Alexei's gonna lose his head!"

"Let's go!"

The lot sprang forward. There was no time for tears. Those would come later. After Alexei paid for Whitehorse's life.

"Ren! Report. Report!" Elias kept repeating, and given how he clicked his tongue of irritation, things were obviously not going on well. "Damn it. It seems like Alexei is turning the tables. This isn't good at all. With the Don gone, I fear panic has started spreading among us. Either we quickly eliminate Alexei, or we're dead meat."

"Damn it! I can't believe this is happening!" another man swore.

"The others from our team should have arrived already. That should take those bastards a bit by surprise."

_'If you have the option of endangering yourself or running away, you run away.'_ The words rang in Yuri's head. As if he could simply run away now. He had chosen to come, knowing the risks full well.

They arrived at the site of the disaster soon enough, and the scene that unveiled in front of Yuri's eyes was rather singular, to say the least.

Among the ruined buildings of the central square, Alexei and his men were firing ceaselessly at Yuri's team members who had arrived before. There were wooden barricades protecting Altosk, but they were likely to collapse any time soon. Elias had been right: Alexei hadn't expected more support to come from Altosk's side. It was not over yet. They quickly joined with the rest of Altosk to face Alexei. The man was right in front of them, behind a line of policemen holding huge bulletproof shields. Whitehorse's imposing body was lying a bit aside, protected by a few men. Harry was there too, knelt by his side and fighting back tears.

Though he had barely knew Whitehorse, Yuri still felt his heart sink at the sight. But then something new caught his attention.

Noises were coming from god knew where, and they were getting louder.

"There's something going on over there." Yuri pointed out, frowning.

"What are those noises?" someone next to him questioned.

"Look!" a woman exclaimed, pointing a finger in front of her.

A huge crowd was breaking into the streets of the lower quarters, shouting in anger at Alexei and sweeping away the reduced police patrols which were trying in vain to prevent the masses of people from flooding in.

"Are they..."

"Citizens of our town, coming to stop Alexei as well." Yuri murmured. "I didn't think they'd actually manage to go that far, especially for the lower quarters' sake..."

"Looks like Alexei is not happy."

Yuri turned his gaze back at the man. Saying he didn't look happy was an understatement. Yuri almost jumped when he spotted the woman standing close to him. He blinked twice. No, she looked a lot like Judy, but she was definitely not her.

The commotion was at its paroxysm between the crowd's yells, Alexei barking orders at his troops and Altosk still exchanging bullets with them.

"Shoot at them too!" Yuri heard Alexei order.

"But Commandant, they are civilians!" an officer hesitated.

"SHOOT THEM! Unless you want to die here!"

The first bursts were enough to bring back some silence and hesitation from the crowd's side. Some anguished cries were heard as several bodies fell on the ground, bathing in blood.

"They dared shoot!" someone from Altosk exclaimed, bewildered.

"Those bastards!"

"Cease fire at once unless you want more useless victims!" Alexei shouted at the Altosk members.

That made the latter waver. They looked at each other, wondering whether to heed the order or not. And since Whitehorse was no more, there was no one to lead them. Yuri gritted his teeth.

"That bastard is using the entire population as hostage? Is he crazy?" he murmured angrily.

"He's beyond the point of craziness." someone next to him answered. "But the real question now is: what do we do?"

Unexpectedly enough, it was the woman who looked like Judith who gave them the opening they needed. "Commandant Alexei, we have lost." Yuri heard the woman say softly, and the voice rang vaguely familiar.

"What are you saying, Khroma?" Alexei replied, his traits distorted by madness. "They are nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothing, unable to behave themselves and acting like savages as soon as there is no authority to lead them."

"Commandant Alexei, please stop. Open your eyes." Khroma pleaded.

"I cannot lose! Not now! Not after I managed to clean the lower quarters from the scum dwelling in it!"

"Please, stop!" Khroma insisted. "We have lost since the moment the whole city turned against us. I beg of you, open your eyes and realize your own mistake!"

Alexei glared at her. "You dare say that I made mistakes? All that I've done, I've done it to secure peace in this country! Evil needs to be eradicated! Khroma, are you saying you disagree with me?" he asked threateningly.

"Commandant Alexei, I owe you everything, and I swore to follow you no matter what. But it is also my duty to stop you when you are going on the wrong track." Khroma replied, standing straight and unflinching.

"Is that so? Then I think I have no use of you anymore." Alexei replied as he aimed at her stomach, and pulled the trigger.

As Khroma fell on her knees and hit the ground, two shiny trails of tears strolled down her cheeks, and Alexei's name escaped her lips in a final choke.

"That bastard! Killing off his own officers like that!" Yuri cursed.

"That guy is completely mad!"

Apparently, Alexei's gesture triggered some mixed reactions among his own men as well. Some were staring blankly at Khroma while the others were looking at Alexei with sheer lack of comprehension painted on their faces.

Alexei turned to the mass of demonstrators. "And you, who refuse to understand what is good for you, you do not deserve my justice! You do not deserve to be rid of the evil that looms over you."

A voice rose from amongst the crowd. "We do not want your so-called justice. Until now, it has brought us nothing but pain and disasters."

Yuri's mouth fell open and his heart failed a beat, for the person who had just walked forward and spoke out loud was none other than Flynn. Yuri would have jumped over the barricade if it hadn't been for Elias grabbing his arm and pulling him down.

"What the hell were you trying to do?" the latter scolded him.

Yuri bit his lip to bleed, his eyes not leaving Flynn a single second. What on earth was he doing there? What kind of absurdity had gone through his mind for him to come all the way here? And above all, had he lost his mind, opposing Alexei openly like that? _Flynn, you idiot! You damn idiot!_

And at that moment, Yuri really felt immense fear sweeping over him, paralysing him from head to toe and rendering him unable to form any coherent thought but one: Flynn was going to die. At that moment, he really understood how much of an idiot he had been all this time, and he understood how Flynn must have felt all this time. Now he only wanted to run to him and scream at him to fall back and stop provoking Alexei, and to get away as far as possible from that place. If anything happened to Flynn, Yuri would... _You damn idiot! You're supposed to be the smart one!_ His throat felt dry, and blood pulsed in his temples, more loudly as ever. _Flynn, Flynn, Flynn!_

"And what does a single brat like you know about this?" Alexei asked back with disdain.

"I'm afraid I'm not the only one to think that way. Why do you think we are all here, opposing you?" Flynn retorted back.

_Flynn, shut up! Shut the hell up!_ Yuri screamed mentally.

"That kid has a death wish." Elias said darkly. "Though he's quite the brave one."

"Alexei must be taken down!" Yuri urged him. "Before there are more casualties!" _Before Flynn is killed!_

"The bulletproof shields are in the way."

"We have to try anyway!"

"Yuri, calm down! Even Alexei must understand the situation he's in now. He's clearly lost."

Yuri gritted his teeth. _If there's one thing he has lost, it's his mind._

"I will not suffer more of your stupid resistance!" Alexei declared.

It happened in a flash, so quickly that it was already over by the time Yuri registered what had occurred.

Alexei rose one of his guns at Flynn who had already plunged and grabbed the firearm that had been dropped by one of the policemen. Two shots banged. Flynn fell backward, under Yuri's horrified eyes.

The last thing he knew, he was jumping over the barricades and rushing at Flynn, ignoring Elias' shouts of 'Come back, Yuri!' and 'Cover him!'. He ran past the policemen, oblivious of Alexei falling on his knees, his eyes seeing nothing but Flynn.

"FLYYYYNN!" he called out.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: And that was the final chapter of this story. Feel free to hate me and despise me. You have every right to.  
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**...  
><strong>

**OK, that was a joke. Of course it's not the final chapter :D I'll give a cookie to those who guess what happened in the end. Oh yeah, the part with Estelle tripping and falling HAD to be added. I mean, come on, it's well-known that whenever a girl is being chased, she HAS to trip and fall. Period. And yes, Yuri's an idiot, and Flynn's an idiot too.  
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**Anyway, merry Xmas to everyone!  
><strong>


	37. March 18th to 19th

**March 18****th**** to 19****th**

Yuri's fingers closed before they could knock against the door. Lowering his head, he pursed his lips and let his arm drop beside him. His eyes rose once again to the name written on the small plate next to the door. _Flynn Scifo_. The private clinic was somehow not that different from the main hospital, except that there were no big rooms with dozens of patients being treated of the flu in there. Each patient had their own room.

And Flynn was inside this one.

Almost five minutes had passed since Yuri was standing in front of the door, unable to actually open it and cross it. Since the moment Flynn had been brought there on the previous day, Yuri's mind hadn't been able to find any rest at all and he had spent the rest of the day acting like a caged lion. His head was still a chaos of thoughts and emotions clashing against each other to the point that it had prevented him from finding a single minute of sleep. The events of the previous day kept flashing in his mind, making him almost dizzy at times; the noises, the shouts, the commotion, Alexei's mad face as he aimed at the crowd, Flynn facing him unflinching, the world crumbling at Yuri's feet the moment he saw his lover collapse on the ground.

His legs trembled lightly at the reminiscence, and he found himself taking support against the door frame for a moment, still not able to shake off the terrible agony that had torn him from inside as he had rushed to Flynn, his heart frozen all along.

"Sir? Is there a problem? Are you feeling well?" a voice behind him made him jump. He quickly got a grip on himself and shook his head.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just... wondering if it was OK for me to visit my... friend now. He was admitted yesterday, so maybe he should need some more rest." Yuri lied to the nurse.

"Well, if the doctor said you can, then you can." the latter replied with a reassuring smile. She read the name on the plate. "Oh, Mr Scifo? I gave him some painkillers fifteen minutes ago so he shouldn't be sleeping. Do you want to check?" She was about to knock.

"Wait!" Yuri stopped her a bit too hastily. "Hm, I mean, it's fine. I'll do it myself."

The nurse looked at him strangely, but chose not to insist. "OK. If you need something, just address any of my colleagues."

"Thank you." Yuri had willingly omitted the real reason why he was so hesitant to knock on the damn door. It would have been better if Flynn was actually sleeping; it'd have made things easier on Yuri's end. But well, he couldn't run forever, could he?

Taking in a deep breath, he knocked. Upon hearing the short 'yes' coming from inside, Yuri grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

Flynn was seated on his bed. As soon as his eyes landed on Yuri, they turned away to gaze at the window. Yuri didn't expect a warmer welcome, though it didn't change the fact that he was still hurt by it.

"Hey, Flynn." he said softly after closing the door. The blonde boy was still busy gazing outside. His right arm was wrapped in a sling. Dislocated shoulder due to gun recoil, the doctors had explained. The intensity of the relief that had swept over Yuri upon hearing the diagnosis had been of the same magnitude as the dread he had felt when Flynn had fallen.

A full month to recover, a restricted use of his arm and painkillers had been ordered by the doctors. Yuri still couldn't believe the incredible luck that had befallen Flynn, even though the pain he must be enduring right now could probably not be qualified as luck. But the fact that he could feel pain also meant that he was alive, and it was all that mattered to Yuri. The long-haired male stepped closer to the bed, pulled a chair next to it and sat down silently. Flynn was ignoring him plainly. _Well, I deserved it,_ Yuri admitted to himself. Even if he didn't show it openly, it was clear that Flynn was furious against him, and legitimately so. _But you're alive._ And it was all that mattered. Even if Flynn hated him now, at least he was safe if not sound.

Still, the heavy silence was starting to get too uncomfortable for Yuri. What was he supposed to say, though? Could he simply talk about everything and nothing, as if Flynn had simply been caught in a mere accident? The sheer idea was ridiculous. Asking him if he was feeling well was probably not a better bet. Only one option remained, the one Yuri had prepared himself since he had agreed to be dragged into all this mess.

"Flynn, I'm sorry for what I did." he finally let out miserably. "I know it was stupid. I know it was dangerous, and I still went." He lowered his gaze, his cheeks feeling hot. "I'm sorry you had to get hurt because of me. If I hadn't acted so stupidly, you wouldn't have come to the lower quarters... and you wouldn't be here now." His fingers were laced tightly, to the point his knuckles almost turned white. He rose his head to Flynn again, hoping to see the latter finally looking at him, but he wasn't so lucky.

"I really regret what I did." he repeated, unsure about what else he could add. Apologies were the only thing he could offer, and yet Flynn didn't seem willing to accept them. "Flynn, please say something." he murmured, desperate.

Seconds passed. Flynn didn't move. However, as Yuri had started resigning himself, Flynn finally spoke; but his voice was cold when he did.

"Thank you for your visit. Please leave now." He still refused to look at Yuri.

"Flynn–"

"I said, please leave _now_."

Yuri's heart sank. He opened his mouth to protest, but no word found their ways out. What kind of reaction was that? He had expected Flynn to be angry at him, to snap at him, to tell him he had been an utter idiot and that he didn't want to talk to him anymore; he hadn't expected him to simply... _ignore_ him. As if Yuri was but a mere stranger. A stranger, and nothing else.

He bit his lower lip and stood up, hardly able to conceal the dejection on his face. He fought the urge to snap at Flynn too. After all, he had already apologized, hadn't he? And he also had the right to be mad at Flynn for acting so stupidly. No one had asked him to come to the lower quarters, and even less to provoke Alexei like that! Flynn was also to blame!

But in a flash of lucidity, Yuri deemed it wiser not to speak his mind now. It really wasn't the best time to inflame the situation. Making his way to the door, he turned one last time to Flynn.

The latter's gaze hadn't moved from the window.

* * *

><p>"Well, I think Flynn was actually quite nice to you. If it had been me, I'd have already kicked you to next week." Rita snorted.<p>

"Thank you for the support." Yuri muttered.

"You deserve none." The girl replied harshly. "Given the state of this place, it's a miracle you got out of it unharmed."

"Hell yeah, you'd think there was a war here or something." Karol added, looking at his surroundings, impressed.

The three of them had come back to the lower quarters or what was left of it. Luckily enough, the damage had been centred mainly in two spots: where Raven and Alexei had been defeated. Still, the ruins facing them left an eerie feeling of a town after a bombing. Needless to say, many people were gathered there, either out of curiosity or to take pictures; there were also journalists and ambulances and nurses. Not so surprisingly, police forces were nowhere to be seen. In their stead, the army had been dispatched to insure order, while waiting for a new commandant to be appointed.

The voice of a journalist rose a bit farther away in the middle of the noise, reporting the facts of the previous day:

"–terrible clashes that left the lower quarters half destroyed. Alexei Dinoia was presumed shot by stray bullets while the whereabouts of Damuron Atomais remain unknown. Hypotheses are that he has managed to escape, but–"

Yuri frowned as he heard the words. So that was the official version of the facts?

"That's not what you told us." Rita crossed her arms.

"Well, it was such a mess yesterday, information wasn't well transmitted." Yuri replied grimly. "Or maybe they're just trying to hide the fact that it was one of Alexei's own officer who killed him."

Yuri shoved his hands in his pockets and let his gaze wander to his feet, though his eyes reflected nothing but emptiness. He shut them for a moment, remembering the events of the previous day.

_Alexei raised his gun to Flynn. Time seemed to have stopped flowing for a moment. A scream died in his throat when two shots rang. Two silhouettes fell. And yet three weapons had taken aim._

_Next to Alexei's lying corpse, Khroma, convulsed in pain and blood leaking down her mouth, lowered her arm which was holding a gun. Thin grey smoke was fuming out of the cannon. She silently mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' before exhaling one last time._

_Alexei's weapon lay next to him, cold. Blood pooled from his temple and his shoulder._

_It was over in an instant._

"Damn, I'm not sure who that Khroma was, but she sure was a great help." Karol noted. "I mean, it's thanks to her that we got Estelle back as well."

"How is she doing, by the way?" Yuri inquired, snatching himself out of his reminiscence.

"She went back to her parents', she's fine and all. Man, the face her mother pulled when she saw us!" Karol said proudly. "She couldn't believe we had managed to find Estelle, even after Estelle told her it was the truth! But seriously, I expected some kind of reward."

"Don't tell me you agreed to do it just because you thought there'd be a reward." Rita snorted, a glare in her eyes. "Estelle's our friend, it's normal that we should help her."

"I know, I know! I was joking." Karol sighed. "But hey, that reminds me... What about that Damuron Atomais? They said he's missing. You know something, Yuri?"

The long-haired male glanced at him, his body suddenly tensing up. Well, it was no use hiding the truth, he decided. They had the right to know, after helping him like that. And there was no reason for him to lie to them. Therefore he spilled everything: Damuron's actual identity, their conversation at the graveyard, and Judith's arrival. By the time he was done, two pair of eyes were staring at him the same way they would have if Yuri had announced that he was coming from another planet.

"No way!" Rita stomped her foot. "The old man actually did something that stupid! Now I need to find him and strangle him. Though I still find it hard to believe that he worked for Alexei. "

"So you left him with Judith? And now the both of them have disappeared?" Karol asked.

Yuri nodded. "That's what the guys from Altosk told me. They were pretty much pissed since they were supposed to deliver him alive to Whitehorse, but well..."

"Whitehorse is dead, so it doesn't matter anymore." Rita finished for him.

Yuri's face darkened at the mention of the man's death. That was another bitter point that he had yet to swallow. Without Whitehorse to keep order in the lower quarters, there was no saying how the remaining people there would survive.

"We could try to ask the hospital about Judith." Karol suggested.

"I doubt we'd find out anything." Yuri replied. "Anyway, I'm heading back now. Will come back here later to see how it goes with the others." He added with a tone that reflected no enthusiasm at all.

"Come to the orphanage with us!" Karol offered. "It's better than brooding alone at your place!"

Yuri considered the offer for a moment before nodding. "Thanks. I appreciate it." He replied gratefully.

With one last glance behind him, he left the lower quarters along with his friends. With Alexei dead, one could have imagined that everything would be solved; and yet Yuri had the feeling that nothing had been truly settled yet. If anything, the outcome of the confrontation between Altosk and Alexei had left more gaping problems to tackle.

* * *

><p><em>Judith pulled the trigger.<em>

_The round pierced the stone-paved ground, sending splinters flying. One grazed Raven on the cheek. If he had had a heart, he could have safely asserted that the latter had stopped beating for several seconds. Even so, his jerky breathing and widened eyes betrayed him._

_They remained still for what looked like an eternity; Judith standing above him, the steaming cannon of her gun still pointed at Raven while the latter was staring at her, laid on his back and still trying to understand what had happened. He allowed himself to glance on the side a bit, but he felt the hole more than he saw it on the ground, barely a few inches away from his temple._

"_Raven." Judith called his name – was it really his name? – with a soft voice. "Come back to us."_

_Raven's face displayed surprise, then sadness. He couldn't, could he? Not after everything he had done. This wasn't the plan he had in mind. The plan was for him to die as Damuron Atomais, to atone for his sins. He would die with plenty of regrets, but at least he would die. And by Judith's hand, which wouldn't be that bad, right? It could have been worse. He had almost nothing tying him to this world anymore – almost – and his death wouldn't be mourned by many. Everything could be over here and now, he wouldn't have to bear with his heavy and tainted conscience anymore; it was the best escape possible for him. And yet... yet, Judith was giving him another chance. A chance to remain on this world which he thought had nothing more to offer him. The deal was clearly not balanced. And somehow, something buried deep inside him whispered at him that he had been secretly hoping for that chance. He found himself unable to refuse it._

_Defeated, he allowed himself to smile, though it was a melancholic smile._

"_I'm back." he said._

_Judith smiled back, then held out a hand to him, which he grabbed. As soon as he was on his feet, she punched him without a warning, making him stagger in surprise._

"_Welcome back, Raven." she replied, hugging him tightly._

_Never before had he felt so much at home._

A warm hand rested on his shoulder, bringing him back to the present.

"I can leave you alone, if you'd prefer." Judith offered, but Raven shook his head.

"You don't have to."

Nevertheless, she still remained behind when Raven walked closer to the cold glass capsule where another woman was lying inside. A screen next to the capsule was displaying the words: _'Awakening process: 58% complete'_.

"Are you really sure you want to do that?" Judith asked with concern. "You know putting her out of her cryogenic state will..."

"I know." Raven nodded, letting his fingers linger on the glass lid as his eyes were locked on the woman inside. He sighed heavily. "I've read the medical reports. No matter what, there was no way to save her. At best, Casey could be kept like this, but this is not a life. I knew it since the beginning. And sooner or later, this laboratory will be found out and dismantled. I'd rather take care of this before it happens. Though... I suppose I still hoped that Alexei could actually do something for her, at some point." The cold glass was slowly cooling up, making the thin crust of ice melt. The screen showed 65% to completion. "Pretty stupid, huh? Well, I'm just an old man with old dreams."

"It's not stupid to hope, Raven." Judith replied with conviction. And though she still bore annoyance at Raven's actions and wanted to hit him a few more times, she had decided to postpone it for later. Now wasn't the time for it. Now was the time for Raven to settle his matters with Casey. She'd hit him again later.

"I had promised Yeager to take care of her, and I couldn't even keep my word." Raven's afflicted tone made Judith's heart sink.

"It wasn't your fault."

"That's no excuse."

The screen displayed 78%. Raven was watching Casey's sleeping face with rare attention, as if he was trying to imprint each of her traits in his mind forever. A second screen was emitting a bipping sound at a regular interval, matched by a thin, luminous line that would spike at each bip. Casey's pulse. The bipping sound was getting quicker, getting closer and closer to the normal pace of a living human being. 85%.

Judith could have told him to stop the process, she could have told him that there could still be a chance for them to find some way to heal her completely, yet the nurse in her prevented her from telling such a lie. That's why she hated machines; they kept people alive, giving false hope that someday, they would recover entirely. A quick death was sometimes preferable to a long and dull semblance of life.

100%.

The glass lid opened slowly, and for a second Raven almost believed he was back a few years ago, on a day when Casey had fallen asleep on the grass while he and Yeager had gone to take some drinks. Except that this time, Yeager wasn't there. And it wasn't grass Casey was lying on. Raven held out a hesitant hand to her cheek, not daring to touch it yet as if she was made of china. His fingers accidentally brushed her chestnut hair and he was surprised to feel them so supple, even after spending several years in a freezing capsule. He brushed away a few strands from her forehead, and realized that her skin was still a bit cold. The room's temperature would warm her up soon enough.

He gazed almost impatiently at Casey's still closed eyes. The waiting seemed like hours to him, and yet only a few seconds passed before her eyelids twitched. Another couple of seconds, and Raven was finally treated with the sight of her dark brown pupils. She winced as light blinded her, and made an attempt at raising an arm to shadow her eyes, but she found the gesture too difficult. Many tubes were still plugged on her limbs, hindering her movements. That, and the fact that she had been immobilized for years.

"Casey, don't move yet." Raven said softly, stroking her forehead reassuringly. "Hey, do you remember me?"

The young woman didn't reply at first, still trying to let her eyes get used to the light. For a few seconds there was nothing but silence, broken only by the regular bipping sound of her pulse. Then she tried moving her head a bit, until her gaze finally met Raven's.

And then she smiled.

Oh, it was a weak smile, but a smile anyway. And when Raven saw it, he felt a knot in his throat, but it was a knot of intense happiness.

"Casey..." he repeated softly.

"...Raven." she breathed out with a hoarse voice. Raven suddenly felt warm inside, hearing that voice he hadn't heard in years. It was unchanged, still the same sweet voice he had come to like so much.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"...Like a corpse." Casey rasped, but as she saw the pale face Raven pulled at those words, she smiled again. "Kidding. Hey... mind telling me... what happened?"

Raven fell silent for an instant. Then he asked: "What do you remember?"

The question made Casey frown slightly as she forced her memory to function again. "I'm... not quite sure. My head feels really dizzy..."

Raven bit his lip. He had no time to explain everything to her. In a few minutes at most, she would be... He dismissed the painful thought the best he could and made his best attempt at smiling. "Casey... I'm sorry." he said. "I'm so sorry..."

"What for? Hey... Where's Yeager?" she inquired with her tired voice.

"He's... not here."

"I see." She closed her eyes, and for a second, Raven feared she was already no more, but the screen still bipped. He had no time to waste. He had to tell her everything he wanted to tell her before it was too late. But where to begin?

"Casey, I–"

"I remember." She interrupted him as she reopened her eyes. "At least... I think I do. Our mission... it turned out quite badly, right?"

Raven could do nothing but nod, averting her gaze.

"And... so I ended up here. This doesn't look like a hospital, though." Casey paused, taking back her breath. "Tell me the truth, Raven. Where's Yeager?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but no answer managed to pass his lips. But the pained expression on his face was enough for Casey to understand.

"I see... Raven... I feel tired... very tired..." she said, trying to move an arm again.

Raven quickly grabbed her hand in his. "Don't move. Spare yourself." he said. "You'll get better soon." he lied, ignoring the bile twisting him inwardly.

"Will I? Hey Raven... You said you were sorry earlier. What for?"

"Because I..." Why wouldn't words come out in such a critical time? Raven felt like hitting himself. _Stop wasting time._ "I did a lot of thing I'm not proud of. And I didn't manage to keep a promise to Yeager."

"Is that so? Don't worry... I'm sure he wouldn't... mind." She closed her eyes again, still breathing.

"Hey Casey." Without his noticing, his voice was somehow trembling a bit. "Will you ever forgive me?"

"For what?"

"For everything I did." Now his tone almost sounded pleading. "I did... too much to be forgiven, but I'm so glad I can talk to you again, Casey... so... can you forgive me?"

"You don't make any sense at all." Casey replied with a small chuckle. Her eyes were opened again. "But fine, I forgive you."

Raven unconsciously tightened his hold on Casey's hands.

"Raven... I feel really... tired... It's... strange..."

"It's OK, Casey. You'll be fine. You'll be fine." Raven repeated. _No, please not yet. Please!_

"Liar... You were always a bad liar..."

"You'll be fine." _Just a bit more... A bit more time with her..._

"You're... persistent... Hey, do you think... I'll meet Yeager..."

"You'll be fine." _Please, not yet. Not yet!_

"Then why... are you crying?"

"I'm not." Raven replied, ignoring the two cold trails on his cheeks.

"Liar... again..." Her eyelids closed again. Her breathing was getting weaker.

"Casey. Casey!"

"Raven... We really had fun... The three of us..."

"Yes, we had. Casey, hang in there!"

"...fun... being with you..."

"Casey!"

The screen gave a long, continuous bip as the luminous line turned flat. Casey's eyes remained closed.

Sorrow, affliction, despair, everything suddenly swallowed Raven up; and he found himself mute and inconsolable. He brought Casey's hand to his cheek, holding it as dearly as he'd have held her; he kissed her hand and let silent tears wet her pale skin. He had known that it would happen one day or another, he had known since the beginning. Yet, it didn't make the pain easier to bear.

He was so much drowned into his own mourning that he failed to hear soft footsteps coming closer to him. And then a hand rested on his back, stroking it slowly. He knew it was Judith, he knew she was trying to tell him that he wasn't alone, yet for now there was only Casey in his head.

Casey, and how he had failed to protect her.

* * *

><p>There was no school on Monday due to the recent events that had shaken up the city. The whole town was still in turmoil and needless to say, the news would only talk about the clash between Alexei and the lower quarters. Two main groups had formed: those who supported Alexei's actions, asserting that he had been entirely right to crackdown on those who disrupted the city's peace and quiet; and those who were completely appalled by what had happened – they were mainly those had come to demonstrate – and were doing their best to help the inhabitants of the lower quarters. And naturally there were those who preferred to stay outside the polemic.<p>

In any case, on that day, Yuri, Rita and Karol had been invited at Estelle's place by her parents, which had not been much to Yuri's taste, but the girl had insisted so much that he could only yield.

The reception room was more or less the way Yuri had imagined it to be: large, cosy, excessively decorated, with paintings on the walls, expensive furniture at every corner and much not to his taste, unfortunately. Rita and Karol visibly shared the same opinion as him. For now, all three of them were seated at a round table along with Estelle and her parents, with a cup of tea in front of each. Estelle's parents spent at least ten minutes thanking their three guests for rescuing their dearest daughter, and the next twenty minutes asking for details of the story. On that part, Yuri didn't feel like telling too much about how they had been able to learn about Estelle's whereabouts, therefore he let Rita make up a story about how she had found out on her own that Estelle could only be kept at her godfather's place. The fact that Estelle added that Rita was renowned as a genius at school helped convinced her parents greatly.

"We have a present for each of you." Estelle's mother finally said. "Go ahead, Estellise." She then addressed her daughter who nodded with a big smile and left the living room for a minute before coming back with three presents.

"You really didn't have to, but thanks." Yuri said gratefully as he took the one Estelle was handing him.

"Yeah, it was our pleasure to help!" Karol added, slightly embarrassed.

"Hmph well, we did risk our lives for her." Rita noted, faking to be haughty. "But thanks."

The pink-haired girl chuckled. "That is the least we could do for you. But it is really sad that it had to end like this." she added, her face suddenly losing its smile. "Uncle Alexei used to be different. I am certain he was convinced that his actions were just."

"Now, Estellise. This is not the time to talk about such depressing topics." her father scolded her gently. "This is regrettable, truly, but we cannot change what happened. So for now, how about you open your presents?"

Yuri received a recipe book made by the most renowned cooks of the world – on Estelle's suggestion, most probably –, Karol got a new mute, and Rita a bottle of perfume.

"I personally don't wear this one," Estelle's mother commented, "But I heard this has been the most popular perfume for some time."

Rita cocked an eyebrow when she saw the bottle. It was the same as the one Yuri had offered Pia. "Duke Pantarei's _Elegance_." she said. Too bad she didn't like fragrances. She thanked Estelle's mother anyway, out of politeness. She wondered what her hostess would have said if she told her that she knew Duke personally. Though there were also chances that those rich people already knew each other. Not that it mattered.

They parted soon after, much to Yuri's relief who still had plenty of other thoughts bothering his mind. As they exited the Sidos house, Rita asked:

"Do you plan to visit Flynn at the clinic?"

But the boy shook his head. "No, he should have been discharged already. When I asked, the nurse told me that there's no need to stay more than a day at the hospital for a dislocated shoulder. So I guess Flynn's at home and resting."

"Then are you going to see him?"

Yuri didn't answer. He had been willing to come to Flynn's place for the whole day, but the perspective of being given the cold shoulder – no pun intended – was preventing him from actually going.

"You should try." Karol advised. "Try to apologize again. He can't be sulking forever, anyway."

"What if he just ignores me again?" Yuri muttered.

"Then you'll have to try again later." Rita replied sharply. "It's mainly your fault, so fix it yourself. Unless you think that Flynn isn't worth the trouble." she added with disdain.

Yuri glared at her. "Of course he is." he protested. Rita was right. Flynn had always put up with him and his every whim and had been rewarded with a lie and a broken promise. If Yuri wanted to mend the pieces, he'd have to do more than give a mere apology. There was one problem left, though. "I've no idea what to do beside apologizing." He said, dejected.

"Oh, come on! Use your head a bit!" Rita snapped, exasperated. "Tell him how you feel, give him flowers, bake him some cakes, harass him, I don't know! You know him better than us, you should have at least a clue on what you can do for him!"

The sudden outburst took both Karol and Yuri by surprise. The latter blinked twice, before scratching his head. "I guess you're right." he finally said. He still had no clear idea what to do, but one thing was for sure: he'd do anything to win back Flynn.

* * *

><p>Alexei's national funerals took place at the capital city and were broadcast simultaneously on the TV, yet it was the last thing Flynn wanted to see. He grabbed the remote with his left hand and turned the device off. The throbbing pain on his right shoulder was constantly there, but he had taken painkillers not too long ago and the doctor had strongly warned him about an abuse of the medicine. Therefore he bore with the pain, though not happily.<p>

That would teach him to act on an impulse just to piss Yuri off. Because this was everything there was to it, really. The moment he had received Yuri's message on his phone, various emotions followed one after another: disbelief at first, then anger, then blind rage. If Yuri thought he could play hero, then he'd have no problem with him doing the same.

Flynn hadn't expected it to hurt that much, though. And on his second sleepless night, he had had plenty of time to ponder on his own actions. To his shame, he had realized – a bit too late – that he had been about as reasonable as Yuri. He remembered the moment Alexei pointed his gun at him all too well. At that moment, adrenaline had bound any sensible reasoning in him, so there had been more recklessness than fear from him, and he knew he had been beyond lucky to still be alive. The thought had slowly made its way to him: _I could have died back there. One shot, and I'd have died. One second too late, and I'd have died. I could have died._ He still had shivers at the memories.

Still, there was a tiny part in him that was nudging another thought to him. One that said that perhaps, he had simply been worried sick about Yuri and had wanted to go to find him.

The blonde boy shook his head. _That idiot doesn't deserve me to worry about him. I can just forget about him._

_Liar,_ another voice murmured to him.

Clicking his tongue of irritation, Flynn stood up from the sofa and went to prepare himself a cup of tea to take with some more painkillers.

And sleeping pills.

He'd need them a lot.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: *offers handkerchief for those who want* Sorry for the slow update. It may turn even slower in the next few weeks for various reasons (including the fact that a certain someone is trying to give me even less time by making me play old video games *cough*Celice*cough*). This chapter concludes this arc. Next one will start the final arc :] Thank you for sticking with me!  
><strong>


	38. March 20th to 30th

**March 20th to 30th **

Rita could only watch as Lily wriggled in her hospital bed, struck with fever and moaning in her sleep. Pat, in the next bed, wasn't in a better state. The two kids from the orphanage had seen their states worsen considerably in the past few days and were starting to show the same signs as most patients who were terminally ill. The doctors couldn't tell why some people were more affected than others.

"They'll get better, won't they?" Karol asked with a tone that indicated that he already knew the answer.

After two seconds of silence, Rita replied, her fists clenched: "I'll find something. I'll definitely find something in time." She chose not to let Karol see her eyes, for fear he would see the doubt in them.

They soon left the room and climbed upstairs, where Pia's room was. The doctors had said that she was one of the rare patients who had managed to drag it so far, and Rita and Karol could only pray that it kept being that way. There were other beds around, none empty, but the faces changed often. Way too often, to Rita's taste.

"Yuri told me he hasn't been visiting much, lately." Karol observed as he changed the flowers on the table next to Pia's bed.

"That idiot has been doing nothing but stupid things." Rita declared dryly.

"You think it's gonna be fine with Flynn?"

"Don't ask me. Those two are big enough to deal with their own problems themselves."

"Still, I'm a bit worried about Yuri."

Rita didn't answer. As cruel as it may sound, Yuri was the last of her concerns. Right now, her main concern was Pia, and the kids, and all the other patients. Amid the whole mess that had ensued because of Alexei, she hadn't managed to find much time to focus on her research, and Duke hadn't gotten in touch with her either.

"OK, I'm done with the flowers." Karol announced as he finished arranging daisies in the vase. He laid his eyes on Pia and sighed. "Too bad she can't see them. Hey, how far are you with your cure?"

"I'm still searching." Rita replied, slightly annoyed that she had to confess her own slow progress.

"You're going to the uni today?"

The girl nodded. There were still no classes, but it didn't mean that Rita didn't have access to the school facilities. It was actually a good point for her, as it was much quieter than usual, and she could work without being interrupted.

Both students remained by Pia's side a few more minutes before taking their leave to their respective destinations: Rita at the university, and Karol back at the orphanage to take care of the kids with the remaining assistants. Another point that they had noted was the absence of Judith. Normally they would at least cross paths in the corridors of the hospital, but today there was no sign of her. They had tried to inquire about her to another nurse, but the latter had merely shook her head impatiently, telling them that the staff was too busy to record the movement of each nurse and doctor there.

On their way out, Karol asked:

"By the way, have you tried that super expensive perfume Estelle's mom gave you?"

"As if." Rita scowled. "You know I never wear that kind of stuff. It's still in my pocket, I forgot to leave it in my room yesterday."

"How about selling it back? This thing costs a lot!"

"It's a _gift_, you moron." Rita snapped. "Even if I don't like it, it'd be rude to discard it."

"I was kidding." Karol mumbled. "Anyway, don't forget to come back tonight."

"Yeah, yeah." Rita waved him off as they parted ways.

The bus trip from the hospital to the university took twenty minutes, during which Rita was plunged so deep in thoughts she almost missed her stop. As expected, the school was practically empty, save for some students who were most likely doing research as well. Her fear that someone could have touched her things in the lab proved fruitless; the place was in the exact same state as when she had last left it.

Dropping her bag on the floor, she gathered a few papers and settled in front of the computer. There was no message from Duke.

Well, it was up to her to roll up her sleeves and find the precious cure.

* * *

><p>Flynn's mobile rang for the fourth time of the day, and it wasn't even noon. The boy already knew who it was. It was the same person that had tried to call him earlier the three other times. And the last thing he wanted right now was to talk to that person. He was in a sore mood enough after another unpleasant night – despite the sleeping pills – and a shoulder which was still shooting bolts of pain through his body whenever he moved too abruptly. The only activity that could have soothed him was the violin, and though he considered himself a rather good player, he still hadn't reached the level where he could play with one hand only.<p>

The one good point he found in his misery was that his mother had finally stopped badgering him. That put aside, Flynn was definitely in the middle of those periods when it could be dangerous to annoy him too much.

That was why he had no intention of picking up that call. He ended up switching his phone off, irritation painted on his face. _I need coffee. And painkillers._ Suiting the action to the word, Flynn headed for the kitchen while cursing mentally at how unhandy it was to prepare coffee with one invalid shoulder. The doctors had told him that it would be completely healed in a month, but he would normally be able to use his right arm again within two weeks, if everything went fine. _Two weeks is already too long_. Being right-handed, Flynn had found himself unable to carry out many daily-life tasks, much to his annoyance. It was during those kinds of times that he wished he had a domestic to help him.

Well, too bad.

As he was about to walk back to his room, someone knocked at the door. With a sigh of annoyance, he pondered on whether to open or not, given that no one ever knocked on his door – he had never particularly befriended his neighbours. He went to check through the peep-hole. Most likely it was some door-to-door salesman, who was the last person Flynn wanted to see.

_Wrong,_ he thought when he saw who it was standing behind the door. _Now _this_ one is the last one I want to see._ How he had even managed to enter the building, Flynn didn't know and didn't care. He simply wanted him to go away.

And yet, as he was about to ignore the knock, some subconscious part of him rebelled against his will and he found himself opening the door; his irrational side would have called it pity.

"Hey Flynn." came the almost timid yet deep familiar voice.

"Good morning, Yuri." Flynn replied, impassive.

"I... came to see if you were all right. You weren't replying on your phone so I was wondering if everything was fine."

_Damn it, at least have the decency to lower your eyes when talking to me,_ Flynn thought, trying to convince himself that Yuri needed to show some humility. It was definitely not because he feared deep inside that those piercing onyx eyes could somehow make his will waver. "Everything is fine. I had my phone turned off in order not to be bothered." Flynn replied, emphasizing on the last part of his sentence.

"Oh." Now Yuri did look away. "Sorry for disturbing you." He rose his eyes again. "If you need anything..."

"I'm fine, Yuri." Flynn was certain he spotted some faint signs of annoyance on Yuri's face, but he paid them no mind. He had always forgiven Yuri too easily at each of his stupid actions, but not this time. This time, Flynn was fed up, and he intended to show it well.

"Alright. Then I won't bother you any longer."

"Goodbye, Yuri." Flynn merely replied as he closed the door behind him.

Was it too harsh? Maybe. But it was necessary for Yuri to understand that he had gone overboard. Or was it? Flynn kept repeating to himself that he didn't want to have anything to do with Yuri anymore. If it was really the case, then why did he even bother trying to have Yuri understand his current feelings?

Flynn dismissed the thought with irritation. Now wasn't the time to dwell on philosophical reflections. Grabbing his cup of coffee, he sank himself in the sofa, staring absently at the black TV screen and brooding.

On the next day, there was neither phone call nor knock on the door. It surprised Flynn a bit as he had expected Yuri to be more insistent on the matter. Or maybe it only meant that much to him? Something tightened in Flynn's chest, ever so lightly, but he ignored the feeling. He didn't want to have anything to do with Yuri for now.

_For now._

Flynn shook his head. He didn't want to have anything to do with Yuri _anymore_. Now that was better. And yet the tiny, annoying feeling that nagged him at the back of his head wouldn't leave him alone. Which irritated Flynn even more. Yuri had brought him nothing but problems, the blonde boy repeated to himself. And he definitely thought too high of himself if he imagined that Flynn would let go of each and every whim of his. Flynn had been patient, understanding, supporting even, and Yuri had only repaid him with more problems.

He flipped a page of the book he was reading, realizing a bit late that he had no idea what he had just read for the past few pages. _Why am I distracted by him even when he's not there?_ Flynn shut the book angrily, moving his right shoulder inadvertently and cursing silently as pain shot him.

He was done with Yuri, damn it! Why couldn't his own brain understand that?

The answer to the question may lie somewhere in that very same brain, within the tiny voice that Flynn refused stubbornly to listen to.

Weekend arrived with no news from Yuri at all. Flynn had received several messages from Karol, Rita and Estelle – the latter had even come and paid him a visit – but there was nothing from Yuri. Apparently Flynn was right: it was all their relationship meant to him. Flynn had been the first to reject Yuri back then at the clinic, therefore he shouldn't be surprised that Yuri was reacting the same way.

And yet. It was the same hassle all over again. Why couldn't a single day pass without Flynn hating and missing Yuri at the same time? Why couldn't a single hour pass without Flynn expecting his phone to buzz or his intercom to ring? _Gosh this is a real pain._ He strode to the kitchen for sleeping pills. He pondered about painkillers but decided to be reasonable. For once, Lady Luck took mercy on him and allowed him to sleep dreamlessly through the entire Saturday afternoon.

He was woken up by the sound of his phone. Stretching his arm to the table next to his bed, he read the screen. One message from Karol. What had he expected? Or rather, who? Resigned, he read the message asking for news, typed a short reply and lay back on the bed with a sigh and his phone still in his hand. He scrolled down the list of names to the bottom, to the letter 'Y', and stared at the name displayed there. It would only take a few seconds to select the name, type a message and press the 'send' button. It took Flynn several minutes to decide against it. Putting the phone back on the table, he looked at his wrist. A triple cord of black leather was wrapped around it, with a single silver pearl set with a small turquoise. Flynn shut his eyes. The last thing he saw was a vague silhouette with long, raven hair.

* * *

><p>The university opened its gates again on the next week, and as Yuri crossed them, he could have almost believed that the events from the previous week had never occurred. Again, hundreds and hundreds students were walking the alleys in the parks and between the buildings. Again, the surrounding chatters and laughter filled his ears. Everything was going back to normal, as if the riots in the lower quarters had occurred years ago. To Yuri though, everything was different. Starting with the plain obvious, Alexei was dead. Whitehorse was dead. Raven was probably dead. Judith's whereabouts remained unknown. The lower quarters were partly in ruins. And Flynn...<p>

Yuri followed after a column of students inside a building and to his lecture hall, glancing continuously around him with the faint and futile hope of catching a glimpse of blonde hair somewhere. He had no idea what Flynn's schedule was and though the university wasn't huge, it wasn't small either. Two weeks ago, he knew they would have simply met at lunch time either in the park, or at the cafeteria. Perhaps Flynn would be at the cafeteria today. It wouldn't hurt to go and see. He was supposed to meet with Karol and Estelle there anyway, and a message from Rita had informed him that she would stay in her lab.

At noon, Karol and Estelle joined him and the three of them headed for the cafeteria. It was good to have Estelle back, and the girl was as happy as ever to be able to resume classes as well; the remark had earned her a grimace from Karol. The girl's bright mood somewhat lightened Yuri's own, and he allowed himself to laugh along with her. Apparently she was recovering well; her mother had insisted that she stayed at home but Estelle had managed to convince her that it would do her more good to go out a bit rather than remain shut in a house. They soon arrived at the cafeteria, where the queue was already long, but it was of no importance to them since Yuri had brought lunch boxes. As they settled down at a table, some noisier-than-usual chatters drew Yuri's attention. His face darkened.

"Isn't that Flynn over there?" Karol asked, confirming what Yuri had already suspected. The blonde boy had apparently just arrived and several girls were flocking around him, obviously inquiring about the sling around his arm and neck and offering to help him carry his tray. With a grunt, Yuri focused back on his own food, earning a surprised look from Karol. The latter then frowned.

"It's still not settled between you two, huh?" A shrug was his reply. "Have you tried talking to him again?" No answer. "Maybe now is a good opportunity. You could go and save him from the girls over there."

Estelle tilted her head on the side, giving the two boys a questioning look.

"He seems to be faring quite good enough." Yuri commented.

"But..."

Estelle stood up abruptly, interrupting Karol. Without another word, she strode with determination to where Flynn was, under Yuri and Karol's surprised eyes.

"No, wait! You don't have to..." Yuri started, but Estelle was already far. He saw her call out Flynn's name, and as the latter spotted her, a smile of relief appeared on his face. This made Yuri's heart sink a bit. He was ready to bet that if it had been him instead of Estelle, Flynn would have never smiled like that. Nevertheless, the other girls stepped aside grudgingly when Estelle offered to help Flynn, and much to Yuri's reluctance, the both of them soon walked toward the table where Karol and himself were seated. He didn't miss the second of hesitation that made Flynn freeze a bit when their gazes met. But Estelle decided with authority to put Flynn's tray next to Karol, giving the blonde boy no choice but to take a seat there.

The atmosphere during lunch was awkward, to say the least. Estelle and Karol were doing their best to put some animation, bringing various topics of discussions, while Yuri was forcing himself to participate to the conversations. Flynn would merely nod politely and reply with short answers, no matter Estelle's effort to get him and Yuri to talk to each other. At some point she got visibly enough of the masquerade.

"This is ridiculous." she stated, and it was the first time Yuri actually heard annoyance in her tone. "I don't know what happened between the both of you, but you are obviously unhappy about it. So how about you settle your problem and be friends again?"

The sudden declaration took everyone by surprise, and for a second Yuri was at a loss for words. Naturally his only reaction was to shove his lunch box in his bag and stand up. Before leaving though, he turned to Estelle:

"Thanks for trying." he merely said.

The girl blinked as Yuri walked out; she was about to go after him but Karol stopped her:

"Drop it." he said, shaking his head.

"But..."

"He won't change his mind." he sighed before turning reproachful eyes at Flynn: "You didn't really help either." he said.

"I'm not the one who broke a promise and lied." the blonde boy replied lightly.

"What happened exactly, if I may ask?" Estelle inquired.

"That's too long a story, I fear." Flynn replied.

"But he apologized to you already." Karol added.

The remark didn't please Flynn. "And then what? Does he think that he can do whatever he wants and simply get away by apologizing once? What does he take me for?"

"Huh? Just once? And afterwards he didn't try to talk to you anymore?"

"Well... He did come to my place a week ago." Flynn admitted reluctantly. "But after that, nothing."

"Oh... But that's normal." Karol replied. "He doesn't have any time at all." Given Flynn's frown, Karol judged it better to explain. "He's started a part-time job again. He said he absolutely had to find money for his rent and so he spent a whole day looking for a job. He found one no problem, but he told me that his shifts are from 5pm to 11pm, every day but Tuesday and Sunday. And during day he volunteers to clean up the lower quarters or goes to school. I thought you knew."

_And how the hell was I supposed to know?_ Flynn wanted to ask, but his pride prevented him from doing so. Was it a pang of guilt that made him lower his eyes? Or was he simply trying to think all over again about his opinion on Yuri? Still, it didn't take much time to leave a message on the phone. _Right, especially after having me tell him that I keep my mobile turned off not to be disturbed. Good job, Flynn._ The mention of the rent made him stiffen. He had offered to pay it for Yuri, but that was before Yuri decided to play hero.

The blonde boy sighed, but there was still a hint of irritation in the sigh. "I didn't know. Thanks for telling me. I should go now." he added as he stood up.

"Wait, I'll help you with your stuff." Karol offered, which Flynn accepted gratefully. His mind was bothered with another issue now.

_Who's the bigger idiot here?_

* * *

><p>There was a point that made Rita uneasy just thinking about it; something that was making her look at Duke under a very new angle. She had nothing conclusive, but the more time she spent on her tests, the more doubts filled her head. Even now as she stared at her results, she was still wondering whether she had made a mistake somewhere. After identifying that the disease was caused by a specific molecule, she had tried to find the origin of that molecule, for she was convinced that it was definitely not natural. And the more she dug into it, the more troubling her findings were. She hadn't mentioned it to Duke yet for she needed to confirm a few more facts, but somehow she was beginning to have a bad feeling about it. That was the part of her research that she didn't want Duke to find out; at least, not until she was 100% sure.<p>

For the implications of her results could be very different depending on Duke's reaction to them.

She glanced at her watch which displayed 4.30 pm, meaning that she still had plenty of time before going back to the orphanage.

But today she would not continue her research at the lab; the topic she was currently investigating required her to find information at the town's library. She shoved her notes in her bag and left the school. At 4.50 she crossed the library's doors and went directly to the 'science' wing. There, she scanned the shelves meticulously, her finger following the lines of books and shaking her head from time to time as she read the titles. Finding nothing, she headed for the science magazines and newspapers shelves and skimmed through the covers. Her face finally lit up.

A few minutes of inspection found her with a pile of magazines in her arms which she dropped on a nearby table. She then sat down and opened the first one, flipping the pages until she reached the article she wanted. The title displayed in bold letter: _"Duke Pantarei: from science to cosmetics."_ She readied a paper and a pen, and began reading.

* * *

><p>"Yuri! Three coffees for table 6!"<p>

"Right away!" Yuri replied behind the bar. It wasn't even 8 pm yet the pub was already buzzing with activity. Waiters and waitresses were almost running from a table to another, and into the kitchen, and at the bar. The rush reminded Yuri of when he was still working at the Square 9, and he had actually kind of missed it. He had to work non-stop for several hours every evening, he would go to the lower quarters whenever he had free time, and would come back home pretty much exhausted every night, but in fact it wasn't so bad. At least it kept his mind busy from less pleasant thoughts and allowed him to pay his rent.

Yuri let out a small sigh as he prepared the third cup of coffee. The drawback was that he had no time left for Flynn, though apparently the latter didn't seem to mind it that much. _I have to go see him soon,_ he kept repeating to himself, _to apologize again until he decides to talk to me again_. However, his determination to win Flynn back was greatly undermined by the lack of time that his new job induced. And if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was a bit pissed by Flynn's behaviour. Maybe it was stubbornness, yet Yuri couldn't help but feel that it wasn't completely fair to be the only one apologizing. Of course he was the one who had made the most mistakes, but it didn't give Flynn the right to ignore him so blatantly, did it?

Or was their relationship so shallow that one blow was all it took to end it? _No, no way._ He put the three coffees on a tray and brought it to table 6. As far as relationships were concerned, Flynn was his first and only one, leaving Yuri completely ignorant of whether it was normal to give up on someone so easily. Still, despite his inexperience, something deep inside him kept telling him that this wasn't how things should end with Flynn. The latter hadn't mentioned anything about breaking up either, which was about the only string of hope Yuri could cling to. He brought back the tray to the bar and resumed washing the glasses. The past few days had been too time-consuming for Yuri to dwell long on the matter, but every night, right before going to sleep, he would find himself feeling terribly lonely and void inside, as if a significant part of him was missing.

But it was only Flynn who was missing.

"Yuri! Two martinis and a home special, table 9!"

"Coming!" he replied.

No matter how hard he tried to lie to himself, the truth would always come back at him like a slap at his face: he needed Flynn badly, so badly it left him with a constant bitter taste in the throat. And every time, he would swear to go and see Flynn on the next day. And then on the next day, he'd be too busy again. His fingers contracted unconsciously around the bottle of martini he was holding; this wasn't good at all, he was being distracted too much.

The door of the pub opened, and Yuri's heart failed a beat when the new customer stepped in. He could have recognized that blonde hair and those lagoon eyes anywhere. _What the hell is he doing here?!_ was the first thought that crossed Yuri's mind. What was he supposed to do? Flynn didn't seem to have seen him yet though he was obviously looking for something – or someone. It could be a mere coincidence, Flynn could actually have an appointment with someone else, and it just happened to be at this pub. 'Sodia' was the first name that came to him. He focused back on preparing his cocktail, shaking his head. It was ridiculous. Flynn never went to pubs, except when Yuri was still working at one.

In spite of himself, his heart started beating more quickly as a foolish hope budded in him. Yet, that hope seemed like the most probable explanation to Flynn's presence there.

"Yuri."

The mere fact of having his name called by the voice he had secretly hoped to hear almost made him leap of joy. Raising his head, he found himself staring straight into Flynn's eyes, those very same eyes which never failed to trigger a whirlpool of emotions in him. Tonight wasn't different. None of them spoke nor moved for a while, until Flynn finally sighed, looking away.

"Karol told me where to find you. I see you managed to find a new job." the blonde boy said casually.

"So now you deign talk to me?" As soon as those words slipped past his lips, he felt like biting his tongue. _Idiot! Damn it, you idiot!_ "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." he added hastily, but it was too late. The scowl on Flynn's face was eloquent enough. However, much to Yuri's surprise, he didn't snap back.

"It's fine." he said instead. "It's true that I did ignore you, after all."

Awkward silence settled between them, making Yuri nervous, especially as some waiters had started glancing at them. "Listen, I've got a lot of work to do tonight, so if you could be quick and just tell me what you want..."

Flynn opened his mouth as if to say something, but he changed his mind at the last second and shook his head with irritation. "Nothing." he replied dryly. "I won't bother you any longer if you're so busy."

On those words, Flynn turned round and stepped angrily towards the exit. At that moment, Yuri knew he should have called him back, he knew he should have prevented the other boy from leaving, and yet he found himself unable to let any sound go past his throat. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to attract too much attention, or perhaps he was simply too coward. In any case, when the door closed after Flynn, Yuri could only curse silently at his own stupidity. Flynn had gone so far as to come here and talk to him, and the only thing Yuri had found to do was to chase him away. If this wasn't the epitome of idiocy, then he didn't know what was.

"Yuri! One expresso for table 12!"

The long-haired boy sighed again. "Coming!" he replied.

* * *

><p>The next day was Tuesday, and afternoon found Flynn trying to take his clothes out from the washing machine, fold them and put them in the cupboard. The task proved difficult with one arm bound in a sling and a headache dizzying him about. He hadn't checked yet, but he suspected a beginning of fever as well. And to top it all, someone just <em>had<em> to ring at the intercom in the middle of the process. Clicking his tongue of annoyance, he soon found himself biting his lip when he heard Yuri's voice through the device. However, he only hesitated a mere second before pressing the button to open the door. Why did he even do it? On the previous night, Yuri had made it clear that he was too busy to talk. Flynn could find a similar excuse.

But maybe he was tired of that game. Maybe he was tired of the pointless hassle that would be brought up whenever he thought of Yuri. Maybe he was actually tired of lying to himself and pretending that he didn't care about Yuri anymore. It didn't mean that he was ready to forgive him that easily.

When Yuri finally showed up at his door, Flynn noticed the bag in his hand and the sweet smell coming from it.

"Hi, Flynn."

"Good evening, Yuri. Not working tonight?" the blonde boy asked more dryly than intended, though he already knew the answer. Karol had told him before that Yuri didn't work on Tuesdays.

"I'm free on Tuesdays." the latter replied. With a hint of hesitation, he went on: "I won't bother you long. I just wanted to give you this. For dinner." he said as he handed the bag to Flynn who made no gesture to take it. A small sigh escaped Yuri's lips. "I suppose you don't want it. It's fine, I'll–"

"I'll take it." Flynn cut him in and grabbed the bag with his valid arm. "Thank you." His throbbing headache convinced him that he could do with some good food.

"You're welcome." Yuri replied, visibly happy that Flynn had accepted the present. His eyes lingered for a heartbeat on Flynn's wrist, where his bracelet was, and the blonde boy could have sworn he saw relief in Yuri's eyes. "Also... I wanted to know how your shoulder is doing."

"It's healing." _The migraine is another story, though._

"Oh, that's good to hear." Yuri paused for a second. "Listen, Flynn... I'm really sorry about yesterday."

Flynn looked at the boy who had now lowered his eyes, and in spite of himself, sympathy seized him. He could see that Yuri was trying hard, that he was doing his best to make amend. He could see how desperate he was to make it up to him. How could he ignore that? Flynn's heart was not made of stone.

"Come in." he finally heard himself say after a while, even though the only thing he wanted now was to finish folding his clothes and get his leaden limbs to rest. Still, he stepped aside and let Yuri in, then went to put the bag on the table of the kitchen. When he turned back to Yuri, he'd expected the latter to be on the sofa, but no, he was still standing in the middle of the living room like a polite guest who came for the first time to this place.

Flynn sighed silently. "Have a seat." he said as he took place on the armchair in front of Yuri, pinching the bridge of his nose. He should have taken some aspirin. The dark-haired boy was looking at the floor, his fingers laced.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." he repeated after a few seconds of plain silence. "It wasn't my intention to drive you away. I was... busy. It's no excuse, I know, but–"

"It's fine." Flynn interrupted him with a neutral tone. "I understand that you had a lot of work to do."

"I was actually happy that you came. I really was. So I must apologize for being rude yesterday."

"There's something much more important about you I'm upset about. You had made a promise to me, and you broke it." Flynn decided that there was no point in delaying the most delicate topic. The quicker the matter was settled, the quicker he'd be able to go sleep. "I trusted you to act reasonably, and you proved my decision to trust you wrong."

"You weren't the most reasonable one either." Yuri retorted, now staring into Flynn's eyes.

_Touché,_ Flynn thought, but he wasn't going to let Yuri put all the blame on him. His mood was already bad to begin with, he didn't need Yuri to worsen it. "I don't remember promising anyone not to go to the lower quarters." he replied dryly.

Yuri pursed his lips in annoyance. "Listen, I'm really sorry I lied to you. I know I shouldn't have, I know you trusted me and I know I've failed your trust. For all of that I apologize." Cooling down his tone, he went on: "I... just want to make up for it somehow. But I don't know how. I don't know what you want me to do to show you that I'm honestly sorry. If you need me to apologize a hundred times to you everyday, I'll do it. If you want me to starve for a month, I'll do it. If you want me to cook for you everyday, I'll do it. Hell, if you want me to ace all my exams, then I'll do it too." Yuri's gaze hadn't left Flynn a single second, and the blonde boy could see all the determination – and the despair – in his eyes. Under other circumstances, it could have almost been amusing. For now thought, Flynn chose to remain sceptical.

"What value should I put to your words? You already broke your promise once, you could do it again."

"Flynn, no... Please believe me. I _know_ that I did you wrong. But can't you understand even just a bit why I did it anyway?" Yuri let an exasperated sigh. "The lower quarters were my home for three years, I owe the people there a lot, there was no way I couldn't go and do whatever I could to help them back. And I knew that if I told you about it, you'd have tried to convince me not to go – and you'd have probably succeeded." he added bitterly.

The last part came as a surprise to Flynn. He managed to conceal his surprise, though. "I don't remember your ever listening to anything I'd say to you."

Yuri seemed not to know what to answer. His face hardened, a crease appeared between his brows. "This is getting nowhere. If you have already decided that you won't ever believe a single word of what I say, then I don't see why I should keep going. I've told you I'm ready to do whatever you ask to prove you that I really want to make it up to you, but if you won't even give me a chance..."

"What if I ask you to never show yourself to me again? What if I want you to leave me alone and forget about me?" Flynn interrupted him, and his own words felt like a hundred blades stabbing him inwardly. The tiny voice in his head was shouting at him to stop this immediately before it went too far. "Would you still do it?" he continued anyway, ignoring his body tensing up in spite of himself.

Yuri's eyes opened wide, and the pain and disbelief Flynn saw in them almost made him falter. But right now, his migraine was hammering his skull and probably making his thoughts foggy. He was simply pissed, and well intended on showing it to Yuri. Despite his self-struggling, he managed to keep a composed face as he waited for Yuri's answer.

The latter had lowered his head, and after a few seconds, he stood up silently, staring straight into Flynn's eyes.

"I'm sorry, but that's the only thing I couldn't do." he replied with a low and trembling voice. "Even if that's really what you want, there's no way you can force me to forget about you. And if you really want me to leave you alone, then... sorry, that won't happen. I refuse to leave you, because... I need you, damn it!" Yuri clenched his fists. "Maybe you don't feel that way about me anymore, but I still do, and asking me never to see you again is something I can't bear! I just can't! At the very least, ask me to jump from a bridge or something, that way we'll both be content! You won't have me in your way anymore, and at least I won't have to bear with staying away from you. If that's really what you want–"

"Yuri, stop this immediately." Flynn snapped angrily as he stood on his feet, almost staggering when his head went giddy on him. He closed the distance between both boys and grabbed Yuri's collar roughly, ignoring the pain in his right shoulder. "You're an idiot if you think I'd ever ask you to kill yourself. You're even more of an idiot if you still haven't understood that you should value your life! That's what I'm the most pissed about, Yuri! You always think it's fine for you to sacrifice yourself, but you never think about how others could feel if something happens to you! You tend to forget that there are people who may actually worry about you, who may actually dread the mere idea of your putting yourself into danger and who may actually only wish for you to realize that throwing your life away is the last thing they want!" he vented his anger on Yuri, pouring out the frustration that had piled up inside of him for too long. "And don't you dare tell me that you chose to keep things hidden from me because you didn't want me to worry! If you really don't want people to worry about you, then you shouldn't start involving yourself with them, to begin with! If you decide to have friends, you have to take their feelings into consideration!" Flynn finished, almost panting after letting the steam off. He let go of Yuri's collar and turned away, his fist shaking slightly and an expression of pain mixed with irritation clearly visible on his face. _Gosh, I really need some rest. I must be running a fever._

Silence settled between them, leaving a dumbfounded and speechless Yuri staring at Flynn. He hadn't expected such an outburst from the normally composed boy, and each word had felt like an ice needle on his flesh. He wanted to protest, he really wanted to, because there was no way he was going to let himself be beaten so easily, was it? And yet, his mind seemed to deny him the right to find anything sensible to snap back, and the mere sight of Flynn standing in front of him without looking at him was enough to mute any objections he may have. He felt his cheeks warm up, but it wasn't of embarrassment; it was another feeling, stronger and cutting deeper. He was being overwhelmed with shame. Shame for thinking so selfishly, for neglecting Flynn's feelings even though he had experienced the same panic when Flynn had shown up at the lower quarters.

He tried remembering exactly the moment when he had seen Flynn fall backward, when he had thought that his world was about to end. The knot in his throat loosened a bit, though his voice was hoarse when he finally spoke:

"I... I'm sorry, Flynn. I really am." he repeated sincerely. "You're right, I was an idiot."

"This goes beyond idiocy." Flynn replied acidly, still not meeting his gaze.

"Probably." he said softly, "I didn't realize how much you cared."

The last sentence triggered a violent reaction from Flynn. He promptly turned his eyes to Yuri, and they were ablaze with anger. "You're right. I _cared_ about your life. I cared a lot, but apparently you never realized it, so perhaps it's better for me not to care anymore." he let out with clear exasperation. "It'd be much easier, don't you think? That way you won't have to worry about _lying_ to me anymore, and I won't have to worry about burying and mourning you. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right?" he added with no compassion in his tone.

Upon hearing Flynn's words, Yuri felt like he truly understood how an icy shower could feel, for it was exactly the state his mind and body was in.

"Y-You're not serious, Flynn..." he stuttered, eyes widened in disbelief. His legs threaten to fail him while no other retort could come out from his mouth. "You don't... you can't–"

"I can't?" Flynn would have crossed his arms with disdain if he had been able to. "Since when do I need your permission to do whatever I want? You seem to have no problem with that behaviour yourself."

"I already said I'm sorry about it!" Yuri's tone was a mix of anger and despair. How long did Flynn intend to play that card? Yuri was most certainly the one in the wrong there, but what was done was done! He had already apologized countless times about it, why was Flynn being so stubborn today? He wasn't acting like the usual Flynn he knew! "Just how many times do I need to tell you? I swear this is the last time I act on my own like that!"

"You swear?" Flynn flared up. "Then let me ask you again: just how much worth can I put in your word this time?"

"I–I really mean it, damn it! But if that thick head of yours can't get it, then why even talk to me in the first place?" Yuri snapped back, not caring that the situation was degenerating quickly. "I already told you I'd do anything to prove you that I'm serious about repairing my mistakes, but if you don't want to give me another change, then just say so already and stop wasting my time."

"Then I guess this conversation is over. I wouldn't want to keep you any longer, with your busy schedule and everything." Flynn replied coldly. _Just get out so I can finally get some aspirin and some sleep_, he thought while cursing mentally at his headache which wouldn't leave him alone.

"Fine! I'm off!" Yuri was already storming out of the place, pissed, when Flynn's voice stopped him.

"Wait."

A foolish surge of hope seized Yuri – hope that Flynn was calling him back to apologize and resume a more civilized conversation – but it soon receded when he turned around and saw Flynn pick an envelope on the table and walk to him with a placid expression on his face.

"Here." he handed Yuri the envelope.

"Wha–What the hell is this?" Yuri frowned as he opened it. The envelope contained a check.

"I did say I'd pay for your rent." Flynn answered dryly.

Yuri's face darkened. Was it rage that rendered him unable to reply? He simply couldn't believe Flynn would bring such a trivial topic over at such a time. His shaking hand let the envelope – and the check – fall at his feet before exiting Flynn's place with one last glare and slamming the door behind him once and for all.

The blonde boy stood in front of the door for several seconds, his mind unable to decide what to do and how to feel. He gritted his teeth. Well, if Yuri's refusing his help was a clear sign that they didn't have anything to do with each other anymore.

Dropping back on the sofa, he lay on it and covered his closed and heavy eyelids with his arm, too tired to bring his thoughts to a deeper level of reflection. The only thing he wanted now was sleep.

* * *

><p>Yuri didn't expect the hard blow on his head. "Hey, what the hell did you do that for?! Normally it's Karol you hit!" he protested as Rita snorted. The younger boy looked offended and was about to answer back but Rita was quicker:<p>

"You deserved it, you moron." she merely said before she resumed to cut her carrots to tiny cubes. Karol was busy peeling potatoes while Yuri was preparing the meat for the kids' dinner at the orphanage. Another assistant had fallen sick, and the shortage of staff was starting to become a worrying issue. Today being Sunday, Yuri had no shift and had agreed to help his friends a bit. The conversation had quickly drifted to sensitive topics, such as how things were progressing between him and Flynn.

"How did I deserve it? He was the damn stubborn one!" The knife he was holding made a sharp noise on the chopping board as he sliced the meat. "I told him I was sorry a hundred times, but no, his Highness just won't hear a thing." Yuri said with irritation.

"I'm not saying you're the only one at fault," Rita retorted, "and rest assured that I've also told Flynn what I think of his behaviour. But try putting yourself in his shoes for a moment. He's got a dislocated shoulder, which means, to my knowledge, extreme pain, unpleasant nights, inability to do common tasks and which results in natural irritation, strain, more irritation and even more strain. Then there's the fact that you're partly responsible for his being in this state since he basically went to the lower quarters out of concern for your life. Now you arrive and you spout some nonsense about being ready to die. Did you _honestly_ think he wouldn't be pissed at you?"

"Well I wasn't really thinking when I said that!" Yuri snapped, annoyed. "But he was being so stubborn I didn't know what I could do for him to listen. No matter how much I apologized, he kept saying he didn't give a damn!"

"That's why I also whacked him." Rita shrugged. "As I said, both of you are to blame."

"You did?" Yuri cocked an eyebrow. "When?"

"The other day, at school. Happened to stumble on him at the entrance."

"I'd have liked to see that." the long-haired male mumbled, earning himself another hit on the head.

"Ouch! What again?"

"That was for changing the topic." Rita replied sternly as Karol stifled a laugh. Yuri glared at him. "I told you he's not in the best state of mind ever and the only thing you can think of is to see him being whacked."

"I didn't say that!"

"Then what do you plan to do?" she asked sharply.

The chopping sound stopped as Yuri paused and laid the knife on the table. He then sighed loudly and sat down on a nearby stool.

"I don't know." he replied miserably. "I really don't."

Rita looked at him reproachfully, but it was Karol who spoke: "Why don't you just help him? I mean, since he can't use his arm, you could help him do various stuff at home." he suggested. Yuri shook his head.

"Nah, I'm quite sure he won't even let me step into his flat now." he said, dejected. "I mean, I'd like to, but he probably wouldn't want me to."

"We can go talk to him." Karol offered.

Yuri's eyes lit up. "You'd do that?"

"Sure!"

"Well..." Yuri hesitated a bit, "Let me try first, and then if he still refuses to listen to me, I may ask for your help."

"Works for me. What do you think, Rita?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "That you and Flynn are even more of a handful than all the kids here altogether."

And for the first time in ages, Yuri actually laughed.

* * *

><p>It was past 6 pm when Karol knocked carefully on the door of the laboratory. Receiving no answer, he opened it even more carefully and tiptoed inside. The first thing that caught his ears was a faint snoring sound; turning his head to where it was coming from, he let out a silent sigh and shook his head when he saw Rita asleep on her working bench among scattered papers. The girl had already spent two nights at school, despite Karol's protests, but she had been so vehement on staying and finishing her "sneaking around" – as she called it – that Karol had to yield. Today however, he had the firm intention of bringing her back, even by force.<p>

Walking closer to the bench, he was about to shake the brunette awake when a paper caught his attention. It was one of Rita's notes which she had scribbled with a pencil, and in the middle of the paper was a word which had been circled and underlined several times. Karol frowned. _Elucifer_, he read mentally. What kind of name was that?

Well, he could always ask Rita later. If he survived waking her up and dragging her back to the orphanage.

Saying a mental prayer, he shook her shoulder.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: O_O The coming days are gonna be a bit shaky for me so I'm updating this before I break a nerve or something. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and yes Flynn and Yuri are retards in this chapter. No one's perfect. A big thanks to the brave people who review my stuff :] You rock.  
><strong>


	39. March 31st to April 10th

**March 31****st**** to April 10****th**

The city was slowly recovering from its wounds and the appointment of a new head at the national security department had eased most people's fears of further riots. The new commandant's name was Nylen and the man in his late forties had apparently already proven his skills and abilities, according to the record given during the official ceremony of nomination.

"He's supposed to come here in the next few days." Harry commented, his eyes gazing absently at the stone in front of him. Or rather, at the profusion of flowers covering the stone almost entirely. The name on it was still visible though, even if no one actually ignored who was lying there. Every day, people would come to the graveyard of the lower quarter to put flowers or candles on the aligned tombs. The one Harry and Yuri – and a few others – were standing in front of was the most decorated, without much surprise. The Don had been well loved by the people of the lower quarter and no one there could forget what he and Altosk had done for them. Now they were all supporting Harry, the Don's grandson, making it clear that Altosk wouldn't stop there.

"What kind of man do you think that Nylen is?" Harry asked as he knelt down and plucked a flower from the many bunches.

"Can't be worse than Alexei." One of Altosk men replied. A few others nodded in agreement. "But could be the same. Though if this one's smart, he'll know that he won't get an easy life if he tries anything funny."

"I heard his speech on the TV yesterday." A woman intervened as she lit up a candle and put it next to a few others. "Said he deeply regretted what happened and shit, and he promised to stop all the random trials and all."

A second man snorted. "And what does he plan to do with all those who are already in jail? I've got a nephew in there. Only wrong he did was to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"The guy said he'd ask the tribunal to go over all the cases again." the woman shrugged. "If you want my opinion, this is just crap. Too much trouble and too costly. They'll want to keep their money. They won't bother. Harry, when that Nylen comes, you make sure to tell him we want compensation for our losses. There's no way I'll just accept mere apologies from people like them. Hell, you'd better tell him we'll kick his sorry ass if he tries anything funny."

"And I believe it's not your place to tell me what I have to do, Nina." Harry replied with a calm yet firm voice.

"I wasn't–"

"I know I'm still young and I can count on you all for advice, but what you just said is not what the Don would have wanted to hear."

Nina scoffed at those words while a few others smiled at the scene, amused. Yuri was part of them. The boy was Whitehorse's grandson all right.

"I still agree with you on a point, though." Harry went on. "Apologies aren't enough to be forgiven. We'll make sure his words won't be just hot air. And speaking of which, how about we get back to work?"

The others nodded and soon enough, a small group of people was walking back to the most damaged areas of the quarters. Yuri was silent on the way, with Harry's words ringing in his head. _"Apologies aren't enough to be forgiven."_ He had been a fool to believe otherwise. He had been a fool to think he could win Flynn back with words only. Karol had advised him to go help Flynn, but Yuri still had no idea how to proceed. Simply coming at his place would most certainly earn him plain indifference. The best way would be to start at school, where Flynn wouldn't be able to avoid him.

"Yuri, thanks for coming today as well." Someone patted on his shoulder, interrupting his thoughts. It was Elias, the man who had led his group against Raven during the attack.

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. It's the least I can do. I've lived here too, after all." Yuri replied.

"But you come here almost every day, though I'm sure you must have other things to do. You sure you don't want to join Altosk?"

"Nah, I've got enough of that stuff, really."

"You know you're welcome anytime."

"Thanks, I'll remember that."

"Oh Harry! You're back!" Someone called out to the boy. The man hurried to him, waving with one hand. "We could do with some help at the fountain square. You have people to send there?"

Harry turned back to the small group. "If some of you don't have any specific task to finish already, you can help." he said.

"I can go." Yuri offered.

"Me too." Elias added.

Harry nodded then dispatched the other members to various task. Once he was alone, the boy headed back to Altosk headquarters, walking past several buildings which were being repaired and taking notes of all the material that would still be needed to finish the work. At a certain corner though, he suddenly stopped, and without even looking, he said:

"Hello, Raven. How long do you intend to hide yourself like that?"

A short laugh was his only reply. Then a silhouette appeared at the corner, though not entirely, but the messy dark grey hair was unmistakable.

"Kids aren't supposed to talk like that to their elders."

"Well, if there's one thing my grandfather taught me during my training, it's that you're the last one I should consider my elder. He kept saying you have a kid's mind." Harry replied with a smile.

"Did he? Now that's not nice."

"You didn't answer my first question, Raven."

There was silence. Then: "Everyone here wants me dead."

"I'll talk to everyone."

"I deserve to die."

"Maybe, but first you must help repair the mess you put here."

There was a laugh again. "Then I'll do what I can, but please keep my presence here a secret."

"For now."

* * *

><p>Thanks to Karol, Yuri knew that Flynn had a lecture on the first period. It was why he was standing by the entrance gates on that Monday morning, his back against the wall and arms crossed, waiting for the blonde boy to show up. Which he did soon enough. His arm was still secured by a sling. Yuri wasn't certain whether Flynn was pretending not to see him or if he had actually failed to spot him; it didn't really matter now. Yuri walked to him and finally received a glance from the other boy. Was it annoyance on his face? If it was, then Yuri would have to be extra careful.<p>

"Hey, Flynn."

"Good morning, Yuri." At least, he replied, Yuri thought, even though the tone was cold. The atmosphere was nevertheless pretty awkward. Flynn's bag was hanging from one shoulder and looked heavy, Yuri noticed.

"I can carry your bag, if you want." he attempted.

Again, Flynn glanced at him and pursed his lips. Then: "I'm fine."

"Please don't be stubborn." Yuri insisted. "You don't need to strain your valid shoulder uselessly."

"You're already carrying your own bag."

"It's light."

"Mine too."

"It doesn't look so."

"Mind your own business."

Yuri took in a deep, silent breath. _Keep calm_. Normally, he'd have snapped back at Flynn for his last remark. This time however, he had promised himself not to make the same mistakes over again. He had repeated mentally to himself to be careful with everything he'd say, to make sure not to spout things that could be misinterpreted, to be cautious with his choice of words, and not to say more than necessary.

The result of his own recommendations was as followed:

"I love you, so your bag is my business."

Needless to say, the next second, Yuri felt like hitting his skull against a wall several hundred times. His words didn't even make sense! _Good job, really. Now I sound like some sort of retard. Gosh, seriously!_ So much for thinking before speaking.

He looked away and pinched the bridge of his nose in self-exasperation. "I–I mean... Damn, this sounded completely wrong..." he muttered to himself. "Sorry, I meant to say that I don't want you to make more effort than necessary because you must still be recovering and it's not good for you to carry heavy stuff – I'm not saying that you can't carry them but you should rest as much as you can and since I was just walking by I thought that maybe I could be a bit useful even if I know you can totally manage on your–"

His quick speech was interrupted when a bag was roughly shoved at his chest. Flynn wasn't looking at him, but there was a really faint tint of pink on his cheeks. He was biting his lips, as if to conceal a smile.

"Better stop talking." he said as neutrally as he could. "Every time you open your mouth, it's a catastrophe."

Yuri blinked twice, then accepted the bag gratefully as he slung it over his shoulder, inwardly happy. They walked in silence during several seconds, pretending to be deeply absorbed by what the other students around them were doing, until Yuri heard Flynn sigh lightly.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you on the other day." the blonde boy finally said. "I was a bit on the edge and you happened to be there at the wrong time. It's no excuse, but I wanted you to know that I'm sorry about it."

This was the last thing Yuri expected to hear. Flynn was actually apologizing?

"Don't worry about that." he replied, embarrassed. "I ignored how you were feeling and only thought of making my point to you, so it's also my fault."

Flynn didn't reply. They finished the trip to Flynn's lecture hall and it was at that point that the blonde boy realized that Yuri had followed him all the way. To his question, Yuri replied that his first lecture started only on the second period. A mere "oh" was Flynn's answer before he disappeared behind the door of the hall, looking confused. Yuri felt slightly disappointed at how they parted, but he couldn't help it, could he? At least, they had managed not to bicker, unlike the previous times.

His phone buzzed while he was walking back. It was Flynn.

_'Thank you for the bag.'_ The message said. Yuri's lips curled up into a smile. He then hesitated a bit before making up his mind.

_'Lunch with us in the p__ark?'_ he typed.

He waited for several minutes, abnormally anxious. Maybe he was pushing his luck? But Flynn hadn't seemed too much in a bad mood. Or maybe he was too busy listening to the lecturer that he didn't notice the message? _What am I getting so wo__rked up for?_ Yuri sighed. He really, really wanted things to work out again with Flynn, that was all. Was it asking for too much?

He almost jumped when his phone buzzed again.

_'OK.'_ The message read.

Yuri felt his heart lighten all of a sudden. Well, the day wasn't beginning so badly.

* * *

><p>"Why isn't Rita coming for lunch?" Estelle inquired, swinging her legs lightly under the bench. The park was filled with students who had all decided to enjoy the sunny day. Karol preferred seating on the grass. The others hadn't come yet.<p>

"She's stuck in her lab, you know." he replied as he lay down, both hands cushioning his head. He closed his eyes and hummed in content as the sun's warm rays hit his face. "Though lately it seems like she's out more often. She spends quite some time at the town's library. Hasn't told me what for." he added. "You should try asking her, you may have more chance."

"I guess I should. I'll have to convince her to come eat with us more often." Estelle nodded.

"She's becoming too obsessed with this virus thing." Karol went on. "Not that I don't understand her. I mean... We all want Pia back, and there are Lily and Pat too, and all the others. But I just wonder if she can do something on her own like that."

Estelle's face softened. "It must not be easy for you to take care of the other kids."

"Oh, we manage somehow. There are still assistants, but..." Karol paused for a second. "We received a letter from the city council two days ago. They said they were going to send the kids to some other orphanages, since Pia isn't there anymore." he stated flatly with a sigh. "No need to tell you that Rita was damn pissed when she saw that, and the assistants could do nothing to calm her down. This is gonna suck big time."

Estelle gasped. "Oh no! They really plan to do that? Where would you be sent?"

"I don't know." Karol shrugged.

The pink-haired girl kept silent. She seemed to think for a moment, then her face lit up. "I know!" she exclaimed. "How about I ask my parents?"

Karol cracked his eyes open, frowning. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, we owe you a favour so I thought that a nice way to thank you could be to put the orphanage under my parents' responsibility." Estelle explained, a broad smile on her lips. "My mother would love it!"

"Wait, wait, wait! What do you mean, put the orphanage under your parents' responsibility?" Karol asked as he sat up, looking completely lost.

"We can buy the orphanage! That way you won't have to worry about the kids being sent away, and my mother will definitely find someone to replace Pia temporarily! What do you think?"

"Buy the orphanage? But it must be really expensive!"

"All right! I'll ask my parents tonight!" Estelle sounded so excited that Karol didn't dare temper her joy. Instead he merely smiled. It couldn't be such a bad idea, after all.

Two silhouettes coming near caught his attention. "Oh, Flynn and Yuri are finally here! Man, I'm so hungry I could eat an elephant." he complained, patting his belly.

"Have they made up?" Estelle asked, tilting her head on the side.

"Looks like so. I'm happy for them." Karol replied as he waved at the two boys.

"Sorry for being late!" Yuri said as he dropped his bag – and Flynn's – down on the grass before sitting next to Karol. Flynn chose the seat on the bench, next to Estelle.

"A bit more and I'd have eaten my meal without waiting for you–Hey! How come he gets a lunch box and we don't?" Karol asked, pointing accusingly at Yuri who had just handed Flynn a box.

The dark-haired boy shrugged. "Because you already get to eat my food at the orphanage."

"What about Estelle?"

"She can make very good stuff without my help." Yuri didn't miss the slight twitch on Flynn's face at those words and smiled inwardly.

"I'm glad to see the two of you made up." Estelle decided to change the topic. What she didn't expect though, was to see Flynn stiffen up and Yuri cough slightly. "D-Did I say something wrong?" she inquired hesitantly.

"No, no!" Yuri and Flynn replied in unison. "Ah..." Yuri scratched his head, not really knowing what to say. It was Karol who saved them.

"Oh by the way, Estelle said her parents may buy the orphanage back!" he said, his mouth full.

"Really? Why?" Yuri asked.

"Because otherwise, we could all be sent to other places. We received a letter from the city council. Since there is no one to replace Pia, and the assistants fall sick one after another, they said they'd send us to various other orphanages around. We'd have to transfer school and all." Karol explained with a sullen tone.

"What? When?"

"I don't know. It was one of the assistants who got the letter and told us. But they said something about next month."

"Then more of a reason for me to tell my parents quickly!" Estelle intervened. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help!"

"I wonder if it's that easy to buy back a public institution such as an orphanage." Flynn observed thoughtfully. "Not everyone can do that. And you probably need specific certificates that testify your ability to run the establishment."

"I'm sure it can be worked out somehow." the girl said confidently. Her expression suddenly fell. "Even though the situation with my father isn't exactly great." she sighed.

"What do you mean?" Karol questioned, intrigued.

"It must not be easy being the one who sentenced hundreds of people without proper trials." Flynn answered in Estelle's stead. "How is it going for him?"

"For now he is not authorized to work, but they found a letter at the place I was held by my godfather. It was a letter left by Khroma, stating that I was held there as a hostage to force my father to follow my godfather's orders."

"Then it should be fine, right?" Karol asked. "I mean, they'll know your father didn't do that on his own free will."

"I hope so. But it doesn't change the fact that he did all those things anyway." Estelle lowered her eyes, a visible pained expression on her face.

Flynn rested a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be fine, don't worry." he said reassuringly.

At that moment, Yuri felt incredibly and irrationally jealous at the gesture. The surge quickly faded though, as he reasoned himself mentally. He would have done the same if he had been sitting next to Estelle. There was nothing wrong with that. When was the last time Flynn had touched him even in a friendly way? _Too long ago._ But Yuri was working hard to mend the situation. Step by step, he was clearing his way to Flynn again. Ironically enough, he found it much harder than the first time he had tried getting close to him. He could still remember that day in the study room; he had been so pissed at Flynn over the Sodia matter and had ended up kissing him on sheer impulse. It sounded so easy back then. Why was it so difficult today?

"–ri? Yuri!" Karol shook his shoulder, bringing him back to this world.

"Hm? Sorry, what were you saying?"

"That we wanted to go see Pia and the kids at the hospital tomorrow after school. You want to come?"

"Sure."

Lunch break was soon over and the four of them – especially Karol – found it hard to leave the sunny park to go back into the school buildings for another afternoon of lectures. The younger boy was once again lying on the grass.

"I wanna stay here." he almost whined.

"You can skip classes." Yuri suggested, but Estelle frowned at him.

"No, it's not good to skip. Karol, think that studying is for your own good, so later you can find a nice job and–"

"Yes, yes, thank you, Estelle." the boy cut her off with annoyance as he sat up grudgingly and dusted off his trousers. "Where do you guys have your next lecture?"

"E building." Estelle replied.

"C." Both Yuri and Flynn said. They glanced at each other.

"I'm in G building. Well, I guess it means I'll see you guys later!" Karol said as he ran off, waving them goodbye. "And Yuri, next time I want food too!"

"I'll be on my way too." Estelle added. "See you tomorrow?"

"Sure, see you."

"Goodbye, Estellise."

As the girl left, Yuri turned to Flynn. "I suppose we should go too."

"Yes, I suppose so."

The both of them headed for the C building in silence, careful not to walk too close to each other, like two polite strangers who had just met. This was getting on Yuri's nerves, and yet, he didn't dare rush things between them, not when he was finally able to get a semblance of result with Flynn. Flynn's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Thanks for the meal, today."

Yuri smiled, though their gazes didn't meet. "You're welcome." he said.

* * *

><p>Yuri was going through all kind of effort, Flynn could see it. He really could. And deep inside, he couldn't help but feel relieved and content; Yuri was dead set on making himself forgiven, and the mere thought of it was enough to warm his heart. Even now as he was putting a plate of lasagnas – prepared by Yuri – in the oven, he still flushed upon remembering how keen on being rid of Yuri he had been, barely a week ago. How could have he even considered the option? Well, Yuri <em>had<em> pissed him off, and he was indirectly the cause of his injury, and he had spouted a lot of nonsense as well. To put it shortly, any sensible person would have given up on Yuri already.

And Flynn wasn't known not to be a sensible person. The boy sighed. Still, there he was, finding himself unable to let Yuri go, unable to erase him from his thoughts, unable to spend a single minute without wishing that things hadn't turned so complicated. _So much for being a sensible person_. And then he wondered.

If Rita hadn't come to see him, if she hadn't shoved his own idiocy at his face – and whacked his head on the process – would he have actually started listening to Yuri again? It was true that Yuri had come to him to apologize countless times, and every time Flynn had pushed him away, deeming apologies not enough and yet not knowing himself what else he wanted from Yuri. He wanted Yuri to leave him alone. _Or so I thought._ Even now, the blonde boy wouldn't admit that for the past few weeks, days had felt very dull and nights rather cold. Yet, it wasn't as if living alone was something new to him; but meeting Yuri had awaken a sleeping part of him, the part which longed for another's presence, the part which drew him irresistibly and irrationally to another person, the part which rendered him suddenly dependant on someone else.

Why did it have to be Yuri, though? No matter how many times he reflected on the matter, he would find himself unable to get a satisfying answer. If anything, the two of them should never have gotten along with each other. They had been raised in completely opposite environments, they lived by different creeds, they didn't even have one interest in common. Flynn wasn't even certain Yuri actually had any interest beside cooking. They were simply worlds apart from each other. As proof, they had never done any of the activities a normal couple would do and which were more commonly known as dates. Flynn flushed slightly at the thought of the word. There was that one time when Flynn had taken Yuri to the sea for a weekend, but it wasn't really what a date was, was it? They had never gone to the movies together, they had never gone to a theme park or a museum nor had they even gone to a fancy restaurant for dinner, just the two of them.

Then again... neither of them had ever complained about it. To Flynn, it was enough to simply spend some time together at school, at home or at Yuri's workplace. As long as they could see each other, it was fine. A hint of doubt slowly surfaced in mind as realization seized him: what if it wasn't enough for Yuri? What if he had always wished for them to do something less formal and had never told him, for fear of bothering him? The blonde boy shook his head. If there was someone who never hesitated to speak his mind loudly and clearly, it was Yuri. But still, what if, on this one topic, Yuri had chosen to remain silent in order not to sound too clingy? Flynn forced his memory to work, trying to find a time when Yuri had expressed any desire to go on a date, but none came to his mind. Perhaps Yuri was actually like Flynn and didn't care about dates.

It was a very convenient explanation. But there was one flaw: Yuri was nothing like Flynn, no matter how hard you tried. Then the only explanation left was that Yuri had chosen to keep a low profile, waiting for Flynn to take the initiative. And since Flynn had never obliged him, perhaps Yuri unconsciously got tired and went to find something else to do; something like playing hero with shady underground organizations. _Wait, now this is getting really ridiculous._ What the hell even led Flynn to such a conclusion? He was thinking too hard. And as punishment, his head was starting to hurt. It was more than time to stop such useless and ridiculous speculations.

Checking his lasagnas, he cursed mentally as he noticed that all his pointless reflections had left the pastas cold.

There was only one truth: if he wanted to mend his relationship with Yuri, he'd have to do more than sit idly while Yuri did all the job.

* * *

><p>"The reason I required your presence here today," Rita slammed down a pile of papers on the table, "is this." She tapped on the pile with her finger.<p>

The others – namely Karol, Estellise, Yuri and Flynn – gazed with mild interest at the papers. Estelle and Flynn got the decency to look politely intrigued while Karol and Yuri simply couldn't care less.

"So you booked a study room and called all of us here to show us some sheets?" Yuri asked with boredom. Rita glared at him.

"Those sheets may contain vital information about the virus." she declared. The mood in the small room suddenly changed.

"Did you find a cure?" Karol asked with anticipation.

"Not yet, but what I have here may lead us to it." Was it just Yuri's imagination or was Rita showing an unusual hint of uneasiness? "Listen well, all of you. I've spent hours doing that research, and I checked and re-checked to make sure I didn't make a mistake somewhere. Now I can assert with 100% accuracy that my conclusions are correct."

"We're listening." Estelle nodded. "What exactly did you find about the virus?"

Rita gave a quick look at all the members of her audience, and inhaled shortly.

"Duke Pantarei is responsible for spreading the virus." she let out. The reactions she got were instantaneous and simultaneous:

"Duke Pantarei? What does he even have to do with that?"

"Are you serious?"

"How could that be possible?"

"Who's Duke Pantarei again?"

Four pairs of eyes turned to Karol who sank on his chair. "Wh-What? The name sounds familiar but I just forgot!"

"He is the CEO of the famous Pantarei company specialized in luxury products." Estelle explained with sympathy.

"Oh right! He's the one who made the super duper expensive perfume!"

"That's him." Rita interrupted them with annoyance. "Now if you'll allow me, I'd like to continue. Well, since you mentioned it, I can go directly straight to the point: that perfume is the vector of the virus propagation. I could show you my experiments results, but I doubt you'd understand anything. To explain shortly, what everyone has been calling a virus is not a virus, it's a molecule. I haven't found exactly which one, but it penetrates into the human body through the skin's pores and mucous membranes, and once inside, it's probably transported by blood vessels to react with tissues, particularly lung tissues."

"Why do you say 'probably'?" Flynn cut her in.

"Because no blood sample has shown any trace of the molecule." Rita replied. "Then again, the molecule hasn't even been identified, so there's no way we have blood tests for that thing."

"But wait, there's something strange. If the molecule really reacts with body tissues, then after that it should vanish, right?" Flynn asked.

"Yeah. But once a tissue is contaminated, the infected cells will spread to the neighbouring cells. So my guess is that the speed at which your state worsens depends on the concentration of molecules you absorb."

"But this means that only the people who used the perfume would be affected." Yuri pointed out, frowning. "How do you explain there are so many patients? And I highly doubt that Lily and Pat or any other kid would use that kind of product."

"Perfume is volatile. It spreads easily through air. You just need to stand next to someone who sprayed it to be contaminated. What put me on the track was the fact that Lily and Pat are the kids who played around Pia the most."

"Are you really sure of your conclusions?" Yuri insisted, still unconvinced. The question seemed to irritate Rita.

"Of course I am! I told you I've checked my results over and over! There's no way I'm wrong." she asserted sharply.

Yuri was still sceptical though. "But why would Duke even do something like that?"

"Yeah, there's no reason for someone to want to kill off the entire planet, is there?" Karol added. "And he's been helping you along with the other scientists to find a treatment."

"I've thought about it too, and my conclusion is that he has been _monitoring_ me. Most likely, he's been checking whether I would actually find out the truth. Of course I haven't told him anything about my latest findings. And to answer your first question, I investigated a bit on the man." Rita explained. "I won't tell you his whole biography, but here are the main points: before becoming CEO of his own company, he was a renowned biologist as you may know. Every article I've read about him praises him like a genius with a brilliant future and whatnot, and there's not a single mention of any hitch on his career. However, there was one event which was mentioned several times but was never developed."

"What event?" Estelle asked.

"Ever heard of a certain Elucifer?"

The others all shook their heads. "Name sounds creepy." Yuri commented.

"Hey, wasn't it the name I saw on one of your papers?" Karol intervened. Rita frowned at him. "It was on your desk once when I went to the lab to wake you up!" the boy added hastily.

Though still a bit suspicious, Rita went on: "Well apparently that man was a close friend of Duke. A highly skilled surgeon working in the most renowned hospital of the country. Perfect record, even for difficult surgeries, and personalities often came to him. He also did volunteer work in other countries and helped a lot of people for free. The kind of person everyone admired, you see? And then someday, he committed suicide."

"Huh?" Karol stared at her. "Just like that? All of a sudden?"

"Why would he do that?" Estelle asked, surprised.

But Rita shook her head. "That's what I've been trying to find out, but it was years ago, so I wasn't able to find many information."

"And you think that suicide is the reason why Duke would want to kill everybody? It sounds a bit far-fetched." Flynn observed.

"But it doesn't change the fact that this perfume of his is the cause of this damn disease." Yuri punched the table, making everyone jump. "Damn it! And I was the one who offered it to Pia... Damn, damn, damn! I can't believe it's my fault that she's..." He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he held his head between his hands and shut his eyes, biting his lip almost to bleed.

"It's not your fault, Yuri." Karol tried reassuringly, his hand on Yuri's shoulder.

"He's right, you don't have to blame yourself for that." Estelle added.

"Of course I do! If–"

"Of course you don't!" Rita snapped dryly. "Don't be ridiculous, Yuri. You're not to blame and you know it. What's left for us is to decide what to do next. Naturally, I'll keep looking for a cure, but we need to do something about Duke, and I'll probably won't be able to do that alone. That's why I think I'll need your help once again, Flynn." she turned to the blonde boy, but the latter wasn't paying attention to her words. "Flynn?"

Flynn's eyes were set on Yuri who was now staring intently at the table with an obviously pained expression on his face. He looked like he wanted to say something, and yet his mouth remained closed. It was only on the third time Rita called his name that he finally heard it.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

The girl sighed in exasperation. "Duke owns a lab here. It's where the perfume is made before it's distributed worldwide. Do you think that Sodia could help me get into that lab through her connections? I mean, she's also in the chemistry area, she may know people there."

"Why would you want to go there?" Flynn asked, frowning.

"As I said, the perfume is made there, so its complete formula should be archived somewhere in that place. If I can get my hands on it, then I'll have higher chances at finding a treatment."

"When I met Duke at the New Year party, Sodia was there too and they didn't seem to have any connection at all."

Rita sighed. "I feared as much. I'll have to find something else."

"And you shouldn't forget that this kind of formula must probably be well secured. I doubt it'll be easy for you to have access to it without Duke noticing." Flynn added.

"Are you saying that it could actually be dangerous to go there?" Karol asked.

"Well, not going there _per se_, but if this formula is really what you say it is, then it could be a bit risky to try to obtain it." Flynn explained.

"Hey, why don't you simply send your results to the other researchers? They'll see that Duke is behind all this and will stop him." Karol suggested, but Rita snorted.

"Oh I could try. But who do you think they'll believe between an anonymous college student and a famous biologist? That's the reason why I need solid proof. And the formula may well be the best proof I'll have. Well anyway, I'll keep looking for a way to get my hands on that formula, and you do the same and tell me if you found something." As the others agreed, she added: "Then I guess the meeting's over then."

After the meeting, Rita, Karol and Estelle headed for their respective classes. Flynn was also on his way when a voice behind him stopped him:

"I'll take your bag for you."

He was used to it by now. Turning to Yuri, he nodded gratefully. "Thank you. You don't have any lecture now?" he asked.

"I don't." Yuri lied, taking Flynn's bag. He used that opportunity to take a box from his own and shove it in Flynn's bag. "It's just pesto pasta today."

Flynn was used to it too, now. Every day, Yuri would bring him something for dinner, since 'it must be hard to cook anything with one hand', quoting Yuri's words. He knew it was only a pretext, but it pleased him nonetheless.

"You don't have to do this every day. I can order stuff, you know." he said.

"You don't order healthy stuff." Yuri retorted.

"You must be already quite busy."

"It's not a problem. I have to make food for myself too, so I just double the amount. That's no trouble." Yuri replied, and his tone was strangely less dynamic than usual. Flynn frowned, but didn't comment.

As they left the school library, he asked: "How's your shoulder doing?"

"It hurts less now. In two weeks I can remove the sling."

"That's good to hear."

Again. There was something wrong with his tone again, Flynn couldn't help but notice. Not that Yuri was naturally cheerful like Karol, but he usually didn't sound that... depressed? No, it was too strong a word, but it wasn't entirely unrelated to the impression that Yuri was giving him. Could it be...

"Yuri," Flynn declared firmly, "it's _not_ your fault if Pia is sick. She would tell you the same thing if she could."

Yuri raised surprised eyes to him, obviously not expecting the remark. He opened his mouth as if to reply something, but no word escaped his throat. He smiled eventually, lowering his head. "Thanks." he merely murmured.

"Have you been to the lower quarter recently?" Flynn asked out of the blue.

"Yeah." Yuri replied hesitantly. "I've helped a bit with putting some order there. I mean, repairing buildings and helping the kids, stuff like that." He added hastily. He didn't need Flynn to believe that he had been messing with more trouble there, really.

The blonde boy actually chuckled. "I understood that much. How is the situation there? I saw on the news that the new chief of security has been there. Officially he presented his apologies for what Alexei did and offered to help with the reconstruction. How is it actually?"

"It's true. This Nylen guy seems honest. He even helped repairing some stuff, even though most of the people there were suspicious of him. They still are."

"That's understandable. Alexei also looked very competent at the beginning."

"I think this one's different." Yuri said, though his tone was cautious. "I don't know, he doesn't give off a bad vibe, and he has two assistants who kind of remind me of Gauche and Droite, you know."

"Oh." was all Flynn found to say.

They soon arrived at the lecture hall, and as Yuri handed the bag back to Flynn, the latter did something unexpected: he leant over and kissed Yuri on the cheek, very lightly and very shortly, but the feeling of Flynn's lips remained warm on Yuri's skin. The long-haired boy blinked several times, but by the time he registered the gesture, Flynn had already stepped in the hall with a mere 'See you later'. A stupid grin was plastered on Yuri's face.

A bit more. Just a bit more and he'd have Flynn back.

Suddenly feeling as light as a feather, he sped up so as not to be too late for his lecture. Luckily enough, it was only two buildings away and he soon spotted other students from the same class as him also hurrying. He walked past the infirmary and it was only five seconds later that he stopped dead, realizing that there was something strange. Retracing his steps backwards, he understood what was strange: the lights of the infirmary were on.

He frowned, then rushed into the building, his heart pounding. _Could it be..._ Who else could it be? Yuri almost bumped into some other students when he turned at the corner of the corridor but ignored their glares and strode straight to the infirmary door which he almost burst open without even bothering to knock, only to find himself facing...

"May... I help you?" an unfamiliar voice greeted him, full of suspicion. The young man was staring queerly at him, obviously not used to having such energetic patients.

Yuri stood there, feeling stupid as the sudden hope that had rose inside of him faded out as quickly.

"I-huh... Sorry, I didn't mean to–"

"Yuri, you should knock before coming in." Another voice cut him in, gently yet with a certain amusement which Yuri didn't fail to notice. He jumped, quickly turning his head to where the voice was coming, and there she was, standing with a shoulder leant against the cupboard, arms crossed and that mysterious and troubling smile of hers. Judith was acting as if nothing unusual had ever happened. Yuri opened his mouth to say something, only to realize that he had no idea what to say. The other man kept glancing back and forth, visibly puzzled by the situation, then ended up snapping dryly:

"It's as she said, young man. But you may want to tell us how we can help you."

"It's fine, Dan." Judith intervened with a chuckle. "Maybe you could go have a break outside and enjoy the weather a bit. Twenty minutes, let's say?" she suggested.

The so-called Dan frowned at her, then with a small sigh nodded and left the room, not without a last, doubtful glance at Yuri. Once the door closed, she spoke again:

"Well now, Yuri, how about you have a seat?" she offered as she walked to him.

But Yuri remained standing. "Since when are you back?" he asked abruptly.

"Straight to the point, huh?" Judith laughed as she sat behind her desk, motioning Yuri to the chair in front of her. "Well, I just came back today and was asked to form the assistant you've just met earlier. Next question?"

"What happened after we left you back then?"

Judith gave him a wry smile. "A lot happened. The details... you don't need to know them."

"What about Raven?" It was the question Yuri had been itching to ask, and now that he had, he actually feared to hear the answer. Apparently his thoughts reflected clearly on his face as Judith's smile turned reassuring.

"He's alive, if that's what you want to know."

And somehow, though Yuri had never known the man that well, he felt immense relief upon hearing the news. He had not suspected he had grown attached to him that much, even if 'attached' was perhaps not the best word to describe how he felt towards Raven; 'concerned' would be a more fitting word.

"Where is he? Is there any chance I can talk to him?" he asked, trying not to sound too urging.

"Maybe. Maybe he'll be the one to come to you, if you're a bit lucky."

"What does he plan to do now? I mean, everybody believes him dead–"

"Everybody believes _Damuron Atomais_ to be dead." Judith corrected very seriously. "Raven Schwann is still well alive. As for his plans... I don't know, but he may very well be retiring."

"Retiring? I know he often calls himself an old man, but this is going a bit far." Yuri sneered.

"Any other questions?"

"Well..." Yuri thought for a few seconds and shook his head. "I guess you can't tell me more than what you already did, so no, no more qu–Wait, I just thought of something. It's not really a question and it's completely unrelated, but... Rita said she found the cause of the flu. Maybe you'd be interested in hearing me out."

Now he could tell that he had caught Judith's full attention. She directed her piercing gaze at him, a faint frown creasing her forehead.

"I'm listening." she said, perplexed.

Yuri nodded, and proceeded with telling her everything that had been exchanged during the meeting with Rita and the others. He didn't miss the twitch on Judith's face when he pronounced the name 'Elucifer', and as he talked, a new idea surfaced in his head. If it was Judith, then maybe she could...

"I was thinking," he said after being done, "You belonged to the police too, or something like that, right? Isn't there anything you could do about Duke? Check or search the lab, or anything?"

But the sympathetic smile he received from Judith wasn't the answer he hoped for. "I quitted, Yuri. As such, I have no authority to do anything. However... There is something else I may be able to do... But it'll take a bit of time." she said evasively, almost as if she was talking to herself.

"About what?" Yuri inquired.

"I must check a few things first, and then I'll tell you. I may be completely on the wrong track, though. But honestly, Rita really is impressive. I wouldn't have suspected that a girl her age could make such findings on her own."

"She's a crazy one, what can I say? By the way, will you be coming back at the orphanage?"

"I plan to do so, yes."

"The kids will be happy to see you. Rita and Karol too."

Judith merely smiled. "Anyway, I'll get in touch with you if I have anything new about this new case of yours. You should leave now. The twenty minutes are almost over."

* * *

><p>Her phone rang. Clicking her tongue of annoyance, Rita groped around the table, her eyes still on her microscope, caught the device and stuck it to her ear:<p>

"Rita speaking." she said curtly.

"_Miss Mordio, good afternoon."_

The brunette froze at the voice. "Oh, good afternoon, Mr Pantarei."

"_Am I disturbing you?"_

"Not at all."

"_Well, you will excuse my bluntness, but I was wondering if you were still researching the virus. I haven't received any news from you in days, hence my concern."_

"Ah, yes I am. Unfortunately it looks like I've been stuck for a while." Rita replied, controlling her voice. "I didn't deem it necessary to inform you when no progress was made at all."

"_I understand. I am reassured then. For a moment I feared you had also fallen sick."_

"I'm fine." she said, repressing the urge to make a nasty retort at him. "Have you been able to find anything interesting?"

"_I fear not. Some of us have tried to study another option, one you had suggested some time ago about the virus not being a virus but another entity, yet the field of research is vast we have not been able to come up with significant results."_

"Oh. It was a possibility I raised, that's all. Maybe I was completely wrong about that."

"_At this point, we must explore every possibility, Miss Mordio. Well, I will not bother you any longer. I wish you a pleasant day."_

"Same to you." Rita replied, hanging up with a nervous sigh. The temptation to reveal the truth had been great; she would need to avoid talking to Duke as much as possible before her tongue slipped out.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Alright, you all (almost) saw that one coming, and so to answer most of the guesses in your reviews: I'm glad to see all the hints I've put all along the fic were clear enough for you :D Also... I'm grateful you people comment on my stuff, but if you're asking me questions and want me to answer them, please avoid posting as an anonymous reviewer. Thanks!**


	40. April 11th to 20th

**April 11****th**** to 20****th**

"Judy dear! Is there anything I can help you with?"

"_Hello Raven, and yes. As it happens, I'd like to know if you still have a few ties from your former job."_

"I suppose you don't mean my job as a teacher."

"_How sharp of you."_

Raven sighed. "Tell me what you need, I'll see what I can do."

* * *

><p>Days passed with no progress whatsoever on how to deal with Duke. Moreover, a new session of examinations was coming, leaving even less time to think about it, even if Rita kept ranting about the boys having no sense of priority.<p>

"What's more important: passing your exams or saving humankind?" she asked for the hundredth time with a pissed tone as she saw her friends seated on the grass and deeply focused on their class notes. The only exception was Yuri, who visibly preferred to nap. He cracked an eye open upon hearing Rita's question.

"Aren't you exaggerating a bit? You make it sound like we're fated heroes from a book and the world's last hope."

Rita glared at him, but it was Estelle who replied as she closed her book: "You have to admit that we are probably the only ones who know the truth."

"It doesn't change the fact that we can't do anything about it."

"You aren't even trying!" Rita protested.

"Well, excuse me for not spending my entire time thinking about a plan. I told you already that I went to see Judith. She said she'd help us as much as she can, maybe even convince Raven to do something. In the meantime, I can only wait." Yuri snapped dryly.

"Still, it's a relief to know that the old man is alive somewhere." Karol intervened.

"I hope he'll show his face soon enough so I can kick it." Rita snorted.

"And I've talked to Sodia, just in case." Flynn added. "As expected, she can be of no help here."

"See?" Yuri addressed the brunette again. "It's not like we're slacking around. So maybe you can allow our humble selves to study a bit."

"You're not even studying." Rita pointed out.

"It's all in here." Yuri pointed at his own head.

"Whatever." the girl shrugged. "I'll go back to the orphanage now."

"So soon?" Karol inquired.

"Since exams are coming soon, I have almost no classes during this week. Might as well stay with the kids." Rita was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something: "Oh, and Estelle by the way, how is it going with your plan to buy back the orphanage?"

The pink-haired girl graced her with a bright smile. "My parents are completely into it. My father is a bit busy so it is my mother who is trying to check all the papers. There should be no problem about it."

"That's good news!" Karol exclaimed.

Rita nodded. "Thanks a lot for your help again, Estelle. I just hope no more kids will fall sick in the meantime. That could prompt the officials to close the orphanage more quickly."

"It will be fine. And you will find a cure soon." Estelle said reassuringly.

Again, Rita nodded. "I hope so. We really need to stop Duke as quickly as possible." she added firmly.

No one there thought otherwise.

As Yuri walked past the infirmary building, he noticed only one silhouette walking in the room. It had been like that for the past few days, since Judith had told him that she needed to dig up something somewhere. She still hadn't come back and Yuri had no idea where she could be at the moment. He could only hope that she would be back quickly and with something useful in her hands. Even though he kept pretending to lazy around when Rita was there, the truth was, he was actually deeply worried about the situation too. He had found some time to pay Pia a visit at the hospital on the previous day, and though she didn't look worse than a week ago, she definitely wasn't on her way to get better. The doctors had said that she could pass away any day now, and it was already a miracle that she was still alive. Karol had pulled a dark face enough for two at those words. Rita had remained silent while Estelle patted her back. Flynn hadn't come.

Flynn. From an objective point of view, his current issue with Flynn was nothing compared with Pia's state of health; yet Yuri wasn't known to be very objective. Therefore his mind was equally troubled by his present relationship with the blonde boy. It wasn't as bad as what it had been some weeks ago, but for several days, there had been no sign of improvement either. They were polite to each other, Flynn would smile at him and let him help with various tasks – he was even allowed to come to Flynn's place – but everything was about keeping a friendly relationship.

Yuri blamed it on the coming exams which were robbing Flynn of any free time he had. Still, some evenings would see Flynn pushing open the door of _The Baron_ – the pub where Yuri was now working –, and every time he did, Yuri would find himself a bit more relieved than on the previous day. Karol had inquired about the situation a bit and seemed satisfied with Yuri's answer while Rita had merely shrugged and called them 'morons'. Sometimes Yuri couldn't help but agree with her; he was starting to get impatient to get Flynn back, and simply wished he could grab the boy by the collar and seal their lips together. Normally, he wouldn't have hesitated to do it, but somehow, an invisible force was preventing him from acting like his usual and spontaneous self. It was irritating, all the more as Flynn didn't seem to show the same signs of impatience.

As he was exiting the school, his phone buzzed. _A message from Flynn,_ he hoped as he picked the device. He was partly correct. It was indeed a message, but the sender wasn't Flynn. It was an unknown number. He quickly read the message.

_I'm onto something, please be patient. I'll be back asap. Judith._

Judith? Yuri frowned. Well, at least she wasn't lost in a remote part of the country. He didn't even wonder how she got his number. But when was 'asap'? A day? A few days? A month? He typed a reply, but his phone remained silent afterwards. Checking his watch, he cursed silently. He'd have to hurry or he'd be late for his shift.

* * *

><p>The first thing Rita and Karol noticed when they arrived in front of the orphanage was a black, polished car parked at the entrance. Karol frowned.<p>

"That's not the kind of cars you see around here. Hey, do you think it's Estelle's mom or something?" he asked.

"I don't know. Maybe." Rita replied, though she sounded unconvinced. That car looked strangely familiar, but she couldn't get a grasp on where she had already seen it. It was only when the driver got out and opened the back door and she saw who stepped out that she remembered. Her blood froze.

"No way. What the hell is _he_ doing here?" she muttered, half-irritated, half-panicked.

The man's long white hair falling in perfect locks below the waist and his crimson and yellow attire were unmistakable. Even from that distance, Rita felt his gaze on her, and a really uncomfortable feeling seized her.

"Is that... Duke Pantarei?" Karol asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. Act natural. Don't mention a damn word about what you know." Rita ordered as she herself tried her best not to look too tense.

Duke nodded courteously at them as they walked closer.

"Good afternoon, Miss Mordio. And...?"

"I'm Karol Capel. I'm Rita's friend." Karol introduced himself with a large grin. Rita thanked the heavens for his acting.

"Mister Capel, then." Turning back to Rita, he went on: "You must probably wonder about my presence here."

"A bit." Rita admitted.

"I am sorry for the lack of notice, but I figured it would be easier to find you here than at the university."

"How did you know about this place?" the girl inquired.

"Simple research. I hope you will forgive the intrusion, but it was necessary for me to meet you." Duke then glanced at Karol. "If you allow me, I'd like to borrow your friend for a short time."

"Huh?" Karol looked surprised. "Well..."

"It's fine, you can go first." Rita declared.

"Alright then." the boy replied slowly before leaving, though he glanced back more than once, obviously worried.

When he was far enough, Duke resumed the conversation:

"Well, Miss Mordio. Let us get to the point. Your contribution to the biological and medical field was without any doubt very essential." he said. "I think you've done enough, and I am sure someone your age has other matters to tend to."

"What do you mean?" Rita frowned, though she was already starting to have an idea.

"Exactly what I said."

"Are you telling me to stop my research on the virus?"

"Miss Mordio, you have told me yourself that you haven't made any progress for the past few weeks. Therefore it shouldn't be too difficult for you to put the research aside and focus on your studies, for instance." His tone was cold.

"No treatment has been found yet." Rita protested. She didn't like where this was going at all.

"Indeed, we are still working on that."

"Then why do you want me to stop? Until a treatment is found for the virus, I must continue."

"You are a brilliant girl, Miss Mordio. You must have certainly noticed that it is not a virus, along with a few other pieces of information about me. I almost believed you when you kept telling me that you have found nothing new for weeks."

Rita bit her lower lip. It was no use playing dumb, then. She thought very quickly about the situation she was in: Duke was alone with a driver, he was in a public area with people passing by, he couldn't do anything against her, could he? He wasn't that stupid.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I am merely giving the world what it deserves."

"Don't give me that crap!" Rita snapped. "Who the hell are you to decide what the world deserves? You're no better than Alexei!"

"I have no obligation to give you an answer. When I first heard about you and your research, I did not take you seriously, but I decided to keep an eye on you anyway. Apparently I was not wrong to do so. In any case, I have come here to spare you a needless effort. No matter how much you will work on it, you will never be able to find a cure."

"And why not?" Rita asked defiantly.

"Because you do not have enough data for that. I am the only one who knows how to make the cure."

"When I'm done analysing your perfume, you can be sure I'll find how to treat everyone."

"Correct me if I am wrong, but I assume that you have been analysing it for quite a certain amount of time now, and yet you have found nothing."

"What if I actually have?"

"That would be impossible." Duke replied calmly. "I have created this formula on purpose, so that no treatment can be found based solely on the formula."

Rita's eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

"Feel free to believe me or not. In any case, I will not take more of your time today. I simply came to save you some trouble. Everything will be over soon anyway."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked again. "Have you come here to threaten me?" If Duke had simply wanted to warn her, he could have done so on the phone. Why bother coming all the way to the orphanage? What could he threaten her with? There was nothing he could use against her, was there? And then it clicked. She balled her fists and gritted her teeth. "If you even try something against the orphanage..." she started, using a menacing tone, but Duke cut her in:

"I am not the kind to make threats. And certainly not with this orphanage. But I have to admit the coincidence is great. For you to live in this specific orphanage, I mean." Duke said as he walked back to the car.

"What about it?" Rita questioned, stepping towards the car, but the driver stopped her. As he stepped into the car, Duke asked her:

"Tell me, what is the name of this orphanage?"

"The name?" Rita didn't expect the question. "It doesn't have one. Everyone just calls it the town's orphanage."

"But it used to have a name, am I wrong?"

Rita thought for a second. It was true. A few years ago, the orphanage still had a nice plate on the entrance gates, with a name carved on it. But then the plate was simply removed. Rita had been too young to bother about the reason. What was the name again? She couldn't remember. "What's your point?" she asked sharply. "What does it have to do with anything?"

But the door had already closed, leaving her question unanswered.

"Damn you..." she gritted her teeth.

She watched as the car made a U-turn and left her sight, both fists clenched.

"You won't get away so easily." she muttered.

* * *

><p>It was one day before the first exams would begin, and on that Sunday afternoon, the usual group was gathered at the orphanage for a group study in Rita's room. She had left the desk to Estellise, preferring to sit on her bed along with Karol and Flynn while Yuri had chosen a spot on the floor, his back against Rita's bed. A tray of empty glasses and tea cups was abandoned next to the door. A few sun rays served to light the room. The mood wasn't there though. Especially when Rita suddenly decided to drop her notes and let out that Duke had come to the orphanage.<p>

Her statement triggered various reactions. Estelle immediately turned her head to her, surprised:

"What was his purpose here?" she asked.

"He simply told me he knows that I know about his perfume."

"That's why he came on the other day?" Karol exclaimed. "Why did you tell me it was nothing when I asked you?"

Rita shrugged. "It wouldn't have changed anything."

"What did he tell you exactly?" Yuri inquired with visible concern in his tone.

"Just that it's more than time for me to stop my research."

"So he's threatening you now." Yuri gritted his teeth. "How did he even know?"

"My guess is that he probably tagged me on the days I was at the town's library. I mean, it's the only place I've been to look for information beside my lab, and it's not too difficult to see that the only magazines I read were all about him."

"Makes you sound like a fan of his." Karol joked, but the glared he received silenced him.

"More importantly, the question is: what do we do now?" Rita continued. "I absolutely need that formula of his but now that I'm certain that he's watching me, there's no way I can get my hands on it."

The others had visibly no more inspiration than her as silence was the only reply she got from them. The brunette sighed in annoyance.

"There's something else troubling me." she went on darkly. "Right before leaving, he said: everything will be over soon. I'm not quite sure what he implied, or if he even implied something. And he asked about the orphanage's name."

"I suppose he meant that the disease will spread soon enough all around the world and we won't be able to do anything about it." Estelle suggested. "And perhaps he was just curious as most institutions like schools or orphanages usually have a name written at the entrance."

"Or he's just a weirdo." Yuri added.

"Probably." Rita replied, unconvinced. "Anyway, I'm gonna help the assistants with the snacks for the kids." she declared, standing up.

"I'll come with you." Estelle offered. Then she added with an encouraging tone: "We'll find a way to solve this."

"I guess I could use a break too." Yuri stretched his arms and stood up.

"Let's all go get something to eat then!" Relief could clearly be seen on Karol's face at the mention of a break. "You're coming too, Flynn?" he asked as he hopped off the bed. The blonde boy nodded and followed the group downstairs in the kitchen, where the assistants were already preparing fruit juices, milk and cakes.

At 4.30 pm, the hall was buzzing with noisy kids seated around several tables and stuffing their mouths with cakes. Estelle was busy trying to convince a little girl to drink water, without much success, but at least she seemed to be having a lot of fun. Next to her, Karol was cutting a piece of cake to tiny bits for another child. Meanwhile, Yuri was feeding yoghurt to a boy who gladly opened his mouth wide at each spoon Yuri presented him.

"Good boy." Yuri ruffled his hair once he was done, and the kid grinned back at him. At a separate table, unnoticed by them, Flynn was actually displaying a faint smile while observing them. He knew that Yuri could be very affectionate, but it was the first time he saw him take care of children like that. It was another side of Yuri among the multiple ones Flynn had yet to discover. Seeing Yuri taking care of the boy stirred an unpleasant feeling at the pit of his stomach, and it took him at least a minute to realize that the feeling was really close to what people would normally call 'jealousy'. It was ridiculous, Flynn knew it, for Yuri had also spent a lot of effort trying to make it up to him by helping him in any way he could; yet a realization hit him painfully: he hadn't had any physical contact with Yuri since the day the latter had left to the lower quarter. Not even a stroke, a brush of fingers, or an accidental bump. Nothing. As if Yuri was avoiding touching him on purpose. At some point, Flynn tried to convince himself that Yuri wasn't one to touch other people, but the delusion was quickly shattered when he noticed how often he'd wrap an arm around Karol's shoulder or poke Rita's forehead – or ruffle a kid's hair. And somehow, it hurt a bit.

Why couldn't Yuri be like that with everyone all the time? Normal, simple, helping the other children of his orphanage. How much more pleasant life would be.

But for some reason, there would be something missing. It wouldn't be Yuri. The Yuri whom Flynn had fallen for was neither normal nor simple. He was an idiot who had idiotic ways to demonstrate his caring for others, he was a fool who always needed friends around him to prevent him from acting more stupid than he already was, and he was the one Flynn could never get out of his mind.

By the time he realized where his thoughts had led him, Yuri was seated in front of him and had started chatting with Rita who hadn't left the table at all. Flynn quickly dismissed his thoughts and prayed that his cheeks weren't flushed. Not that Yuri was actually looking at him.

"–said she'd drop by soon. That is, before she vanished off to some unknown place. I really wonder what she's doing." he said.

"At least, she sent you a message to confirm that she's still onto something." Rita replied. "Hey, you're staying here tonight?" she then asked.

"Sure, why not? We can happily go to our doom together, tomorrow morning." Yuri sneered.

"If you haven't studied, don't complain about exams being a pain." Rita retorted. "How about you?"

It took Flynn two seconds to realize that she was talking to him. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You're staying here tonight as well, aren't you?" The way Rita put it made it sound more like a statement than an actual question. "You and Estelle can have dinner with us and then go back to studying if you want. There are spare rooms, don't worry."

"I-I wouldn't want to bother you–"

"Don't be an idiot. The more, the merrier."

"That'd be great!" Karol approved as he walked by the table with a pile of plates in his hands. "We can play some games tonight too if you're all here! It'd be cool!"

"Idiot! Who'd play games right before exams?" Rita scolded him.

Two tables away from them, Estelle raised her head. "It would be fun, actually! Though I should phone my parents first. I have never stayed overnight at someone else's place."

"Really?" Karol looked surprised. "Then it's settled! You're all staying here tonight!"

Seeing the general enthusiasm, Flynn yielded. Well, it wouldn't hurt to stay with his friends. Even Yuri looked pleased. Their gazes met for a heartbeat, and a smile appeared on Yuri's lips.

"All right!" Rita clapped her hands together. "Let's clean the tables and go back to studying!"

Flynn had never spent so much time at the orphanage, and he was slowly becoming conscious of the work it required to run that kind of institution. Even with assistants, it was a daily challenge to take care of so many children: food, clothes, laundry, entertainments, elementary teaching, naps, sleeping time, each of those tasks demanded effort and organization. And this was Karol and Rita's daily routine. He inwardly admired them for being able to conciliate their studies with the orphanage's chores.

Afternoon soon left place to early evening, and with that came the preparations for dinner. For once Yuri was lazing around, deciding that he deserved some rest after straining his brain so much, to which Rita snapped back acidly that he had never done anything close to studying. Today's menu was pasta, Yuri retorted, and they didn't need his help to cook mere pasta. Dinner was pleasantly animated, as most kids seemed to be used to Pia's absence by now, even if they would regularly ask when she would come back.

"Are you going to replace Pia?" a five-year old girl asked Estelle who was seated at the same table as her. The latter shook her head with a smile. "But you'll stay here, right?" Again, Estelle gave a negative answer, making the child pout. "But I want you to stay here forever. You look like a princess. I want a princess to play with me." This time, Estelle laughed and patted the girl on the head.

"I'm sorry Kelly, I can't stay here forever but I can still play with you, can't I?" she asked.

"Hey, don't get them too attached to you or you'll have to come here again more often." Yuri warned, amused.

"I wouldn't mind." the pink-haired girl replied with a pleased smile.

The girl named Kelly glanced at Yuri, then at Estelle, then at Yuri again and pointed a finger at him: "Yuri! Is she your princess?" she asked with her childlike voice.

Yuri smirked and crossed his arms. "Maybe. What if she is?" Estelle raised surprised eyes at him.

"Give her back." Kelly pouted again. "She's too beautiful for you."

"What is that even supposed to mean?" Yuri grunted.

"Rita says that you're veeeeery lazy, and you never do your homework, and you don't work well at school."

"Thank you, Rita." Yuri muttered. "Anyway, I was just joking. You can have Princess Estelle to play with you if you want. I already have someone else." he added almost impishly.

"Yaaaay!"

"Didn't you just say I shouldn't have them be too attached to me?" Estelle asked with a chuckle. She didn't seem to notice Yuri's last sentence.

"Ah, whatever." Yuri shrugged as he resumed eating.

Two seats from there, Flynn pretended he heard nothing. As he focused on his plate, he missed the glance which Yuri cast at him and the roll of eyes from Rita who had also observed the scene.

The rest of the evening passed quickly as everyone had voted in favour of playing games and watching the TV instead of studying. Even Rita had joined in the fun, letting herself be convinced by Estelle that it was healthier to relax on the day before the exams. It was almost 11 pm when the first signs of tiredness showed up in the group, resulting in Rita decreeing with authority that it was time to get some rest, and the others complied willingly. The two girls walked together upstairs to Rita's room while Karol was in charge of showing Flynn and Yuri their own. They were next to each other, and after Karol wished them good night, the two remaining boys stood in the corridor silently, in front of their respective rooms.

"See you tomorrow then, I guess?" Yuri finally said, grabbing the handle.

"Yes, good night, Yuri." Flynn replied before disappearing in his room.

The long-haired male felt a touch of disappointment at the formal greeting but decided he couldn't do anything about it. Closing the door behind him, he leant his back against it and sighed. The thin stripe of moon rays through the half-pulled curtains was the only source of light in his room, and it was with a blink of surprise that he realized it was his former room, from the time he was still living at the orphanage. The pieces of furniture hadn't been moved and the familiar faint smell filling the room took him years back. It was the same bed which had endured countless of his kicks when he was pissed, the same mattress which had supported his numerous hours of laziness, the same desk which he had been forced to clean so many times for putting his shoes on it, the same cupboard which had seen dozens of pictures of him and his friends and Pia pinned on.

The room was warm and Yuri soon found himself discarding his clothes, keeping only his trousers on; his fingers brushed past the white scar on his side, remnant of his fight with Zagi. Ignoring it, he dropped on the bed with his face buried deep in the pillow and turned his head on the side just enough to allow one of his eyes to stare at the wall. Flynn was behind that wall; so close yet unreachable. Still, he extended a hand and pressed his fingers to the wall, as if hoping that they would suddenly have the power to cross through matter. The laws of physics got the better of him, though. He let his hand drop back next to his head and closed his eyes, trying to empty his mind as much as he could.

It wasn't long before sleep came and found him, and not much longer before a soft knock on the door roused him from his somnolent state. His first thought was to ignore it and fall back to sleep, but a second knock made him grunt and sit up grumpily. Dragging his feet, he went to turn on the light and opened the door, and his drowsy state changed drastically as he saw who was standing there.

"Flynn." he merely stated, too surprised to say anything else.

"Did I wake you up?" the latter asked, trying his best to keep an impassive face at Yuri's lack of shirt.

"Not really." Yuri lied. "Do you need something? If you're looking for the toilets, they are–"

"No, it's fine." Flynn cut him in. He looked slightly hesitant, Yuri noticed. "Can I... Is it fine if I come in?"

The dark-haired male blinked, unsure whether he had heard correctly or not, before his brain finally caught up and he stepped aside hurriedly. "Sure, feel free to."

Yuri closed the door and quickly went to put on his shirt, though he left it unbuttoned. In the meantime, Flynn had already sat down on the edge of his bed, his eyes locked on the floor. Yuri took the risk to join him on the bed, though he was careful not to sit too close. Before he even realized it, his heart was already pounding in his chest at the increasing tension filling the room. It felt like an eternity before Flynn finally broke the uncomfortable silence:

"I've... been thinking a lot lately, and I've come to the conclusion that the path we're heading leads to nowhere."

The words made Yuri freeze. He tried an evasive reply: "You mean about Duke?"

"No." Flynn glanced at him, slightly annoyed. "I meant about us."

Yuri bit his lip. So it was going to end that way, wasn't it? His attempts at mending his relationship with Flynn had been too fragile, and now Flynn was breaking them for good. That had been the obvious outcome since the beginning. He didn't have the courage to look at Flynn as he replied, trying to conceal the hurt in his tone:

"I suppose that was to be expected. Well," he added lightly as he stood up, "I'll spare you the trouble of finding a diplomatic way to end things here. It's fine, I can understand you don't want to keep going. Sorry for all the trouble." he finished, a knot in his throat.

What he didn't expect though was for Flynn to stand up abruptly and stare at him with wide eyes:

"Wh-No! This wasn't what I meant!" he exclaimed, dumbfounded. "I–Gosh, I'm sorry if you misunderstood me!" He took in a deep breath and went on with a cooler tone: "I was talking about the way we... well, we've been acting towards each other. It's going nowhere." he murmured, looking away.

Yuri had no idea what to reply, feeling suddenly very dumb. Taking it as a sign to continue, Flynn went on bravely: "I know I haven't been of the best company lately, and for that I'm really sorry." His gaze finally met Yuri's raven eyes. "Listen, I don't know about you but... I'd really like it if... I mean... wouldn't it be possible for us to try again?" he concluded with a sigh.

By now, his cheeks were a vivid shade of pink, and yet, he didn't try to hide his embarrassment away. Next thing he knew, Yuri's arms were around him – carefully avoiding his shoulder, though – holding him tightly as if his life depended on it. The warmth and relief that spread through Flynn's body reminded him how much he had missed being embraced like that, and though he could only return it with one arm, he could tell that Yuri had missed it terribly as well, to the point that he wondered who was the most desperate here.

"Flynn," Yuri's soft voice reached his ear, "I acted like an idiot. That's why I really need you to prevent me from doing any more idiot things that'll end up hurting you."

Flynn smiled. His hand slipped in Yuri's cascade of hair, enjoying the smooth sensation on his fingers. How long had it been since he was last given the opportunity to do it? How long had it been since Yuri last held him so dearly? Since he last cupped his cheek and closed the gap between their lips? Too long, Flynn decided.

Closing their eyes, the two boys welcomed the kiss like an offering made to them, tasting each other's lips and inhaling each other's scent and feeling each other's touches on their flushed skins. When they parted, they were both out of breath and smiling, their foreheads touching.

On that night, the room felt even warmer with Flynn there, sleeping beside Yuri. It felt as if the missing piece of a puzzle had finally been found again.

* * *

><p>On the bus to the university, Rita had picked the seat next to Yuri while Estelle, Karol and Flynn were on the back row. Without any other ceremony, the brunette elbowed Yuri lightly in the ribs and asked:<p>

"So, you two made up already or do you need another night at the orphanage together?"

Yuri stared at her with a 'What-the-hell-are-you-talking-about' expression painted all over his face. "I'm sorry, what?" he articulated.

"Is it possible to be _that_ slow?" Rita snapped with exasperation. "I'm talking about you and your boyfriend there." she added, pointing her thumb to the back row.

Yuri thanked the bus for being noisy enough to cover her voice. He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "Yeah, I guess we made up." he replied slowly. "Wait, are you trying to tell me that you planned it?"

"Seeing the both of you acting all polite and crap pissed me off. You were being so dumb and retard that I figured if I didn't do anything, you'd both be 50 before you got back together. And no need to thank me, by the way."

Yuri opened his mouth but no good reply came to him. Shaking his head with a click of his tongue, he merely crossed his arms and leant his shoulder against the window, staring outside with a sullen face. Inwardly, he was rather grateful though, even if it pained him a bit to admit it. Before the previous night, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt so happy.

On that morning, upon waking up, he had feared that it had all been but a dream, and yet, a mere movement of his hand had been enough to confirm the presence of Flynn next to him. He didn't care if today was the beginning of examinations period; today was a very fine day.

"Thanks, Rita." he ended up saying with a faint smile.

The girl merely snorted. "Now that one problem is settled, maybe I can focus on more important ones. For instance, what Duke meant by 'everything will be over soon'."

"That again? Does it bother you that much?"

"Quite." Rita didn't add anything else, and Yuri didn't insist.

In the afternoon, Yuri finished his exam earlier, as usual, but at least he could pretend that it was because he had to go work afterwards. Flynn had promised to join him in the evening, after taking care of his own personal business. The first hours of Yuri's shift seemed to pass excruciatingly slowly, with his constantly raising his head every time a customer would come in. He was on bar duty tonight and therefore had direct view on the door. When the clock ticked to 8 pm, the familiar blonde head finally crossed the entrance of The Baron and Yuri greeted him with a broad smile.

"Oh? No more sling?" he asked as Flynn walked to the bar. The blonde boy smiled and moved his right shoulder a bit.

"As you can see. It's been a month, after all. I'm still supposed to be a bit careful, though. But it doesn't hurt anymore or anything."

"That's good to hear. Anyway, guess what? I got permission to end my shift earlier tonight. I told them with a tragic tone that I had five exams coming in the next days and my boss took mercy on me."

Flynn wasn't fooled. "It's a good thing your boss doesn't know how hard-working you truly are." he joked. "And how can you even have five exams when you merely took three courses on this period?"

Yuri pretended to look hurt. "I'll have you know I'm very hard-working. Well, maybe not about studies, but still. So, what do you want to eat? I'll take your order."

"Something light. Anything. And water."

"Does a caesar salad sound good?"

"Perfect."

"Right. I'll be back." Yuri said as he vanished in the kitchen and popped out a second later.

"So you're not the one who's going to make it? I'm disappointed." Flynn teased him.

"I'd rather stay here and talk to you." Yuri replied, pouring a glass of water which he handed Flynn.

The latter smiled. "I'm glad we managed to solve that issue of ours."

"Me too." Yuri sighed. "I was such an idiot."

"Don't think about it anymore. It belongs to the past. In any case, I was wondering if... you'd like to come over tonight, since you finish your shift earlier." Flynn offered, not without a light tint of red on his cheeks. His tone was meaningful enough for Yuri to understand immediately. He hesitated a bit though.

"Well, I-I'd love to, but are you sure you don't prefer to study or something?"

The blonde boy shook his head. "I don't really feel like studying tonight."

"Oh." Yuri smiled.

* * *

><p>Night fell on them, full of promises, and as the door of Flynn's room closed behind the two boys, they felt as if taken back to their first night together. Each of their movements was slow, careful, caring and passionate, to catch up with all the time they had lost. Yuri willingly gave himself up to Flynn's kisses which left trails of fire on his skin, to Flynn's touches which elicited the sweetest of noises from him, to the words Flynn murmured at his ear, sending chills down his spine. They moved in unison like a perfect match, fingers entangled in blonde hair or clutching the sheets or tracing the curves of each other's body, lips meeting again and again as if to feed on each other, minds drifting away to their own world where only the two of them existed. The need they bore for each other kept growing with each second that passed, building up along with the expectation of the delights that had yet to come. The pleasure that greeted them was about as intense as the loneliness they had felt during the past days; it was released suddenly and violently, shattering them from inside and making all the pent up frustration disappear to nothing.<p>

They were left panting and content, Yuri nestled against Flynn, a thin sheet covering their naked bodies.

"Weren't you supposed to take it easy with your shoulder?" Yuri asked with a half-sleepy tone.

"I'm afraid I tend to forget myself when you are involved." Flynn smiled.

"I'll get my revenge next time. But for now..." Yuri yawned, "I guess I'll just let it go."

"You used to have more stamina than this."

"Hey, I'm being considerate here. Figured you'd want to be in shape for your exams."

"I appreciate it." Flynn kissed Yuri's forehead. The long-haired male snaked an arm around his waist, and a minute later, his regular breathing indicated that he had already gone to the land of dreams.

Flynn pulled him closer, resting his chin on Yuri's head, and closed his eyes. For a moment it felt as if that nightmarish month had never happened, as if they had always been together like this, and it was at that instant that Flynn made a silent promise to himself never to turn away from Yuri again.

* * *

><p>The news took them completely off guard. They all stared at Rita as if she was insane, and the looks she received from her friends were starting to irritate her deeply.<p>

"Well, if you don't believe me, just read by yourselves!" she snapped dryly as she shoved a piece of paper in front of everyone's nose. "I printed the email as soon as I received it."

Estelle was the one who took the paper and read it out loud:

"Dear Miss Mordio, I am certain that, despite my recommendation for you to stop meddling with other people's business, you haven't given up. Therefore I wish to invite you officially to my laboratory in order for you to see how vain your research is. I will be expecting you on April 26th at 2pm. You may come alone or not, it does not matter. Everything will be over soon. Sincerely, Duke Pantarei."

They looked at each other, completely stunned.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Hm 'kay. There's one more chapter to go to finish the arc and an epilogue to end the whole fic. *stares at fic* Anyway, there, our two favourite idiots are back together o_o What a surprise. You didn't see that coming, I'm sure. Well in any case, see you next chapter! And for the love of me, someone please find me a job, I need money ;_;**


	41. Aprils 21st to May 15th

**April 21****st**** to**** May 15****th**

"It's a trap." Karol repeated for the hundredth time. "It has to be a trap. Why else would he suddenly invite you to the very place you've wanted to go to?"

"I don't know." Rita replied with irritation, pacing back and forth in her lab. "But I just can't imagine him to be the type of person to do sneaky attacks or anything like that. He seemed pretty much convinced that I can't do a damn thing to stop him. And so far, he's been right."

"You don't know how a man like that can think." Flynn warned her. "He may have wanted you to believe that he isn't one to set traps. If that is the case, it means that he considers you an actual threat."

"But he knows I'm getting nowhere with my research!" Rita snapped.

"He may believe otherwise." Yuri suggested.

"I doubt it." the brunette crossed her arms. "And I mean, if I had already found something, you bet everyone would know about it."

"26th is on Thursday, right?" Yuri went on. "He said you could come with other people, so we can go with you. And if we can get Judith to tag along too, it could be safer."

"I'm not sure if a bunch of students and a nurse can make things safer." Rita snorted. "This invitation of his is just a taunt. He wants us to see how powerless we are."

"But why would he even bother? This sounds very strange to me." Estelle observed with a sceptical tone.

Rita shrugged. "Beats me. But he's inviting me to his fortress and there's no way I'm gonna say no. If I need to beat him to a pulp to get the cure, I'll do it."

"I doubt you'll be allowed to. You've made your decision anyway, no matter what we say." Yuri stated.

"I have. I don't care if you don't come."

"I did say I would." Yuri retorted.

"I see no reason not to." Flynn added.

"I feel the same." Estelle nodded.

"Then I guess I should come along too." Karol sighed. "You wouldn't go far without me anyway." he added theatrically, which earned him a whack on his head.

"Then it's settled." Rita said. Turning to Yuri, she asked: "You got any news of Judith?"

The latter shook his head. "Still not. But I'll try calling her to tell her about this. Hopefully she'll react."

"Seriously, where is that woman when you need her? And that damn old man?"

"I guess Judith has an idea about the old man. I mean, who else could have given her my phone number?"

"Probably. But I really want to see him to punch him fair and square. For now, I need to read my notes for the next exam."

"You change the topic quite quickly." Yuri sneered.

"If there's nothing else to add, I don't see the point in dwelling on it any further. Now please get out of here so I can study."

"How nice..." Karol muttered as he stood up while Estelle stifled a chuckle.

"You should be used to it by now." Flynn smiled. "In any case, I wouldn't mind a bit of studying myself."

"Oh come on, the weather's nice. Let's go grab something to eat outside before I start my shift." Yuri grabbed the blonde boy by the wrist and pulled him towards the exit, not hearing the other's protests.

"Yuri, where are you going?" Flynn asked once they were outside.

"Downtown." The latter replied. "We can get some snack and walk around. My shift starts in an hour so you only have to keep me company for that long." He then turned to Flynn lowering his eyes. "I mean, unless this is really bothering you. I'm sorry, I was a bit forceful there."

Flynn sighed then shook his head with a smile. "Of course it's not bothering me. I also want to spend some time with you." With one hand, he raised Yuri's face and planted a chaste kiss on the boy's lips. "Come on, let's go."

Yuri stood there for a second, blinking, then followed after Flynn, too happy to comply. There was no saying that he had missed those moments dearly too, during that agitated month. But now things were progressively turning back to normal, and nothing was going to spoil this reconciliation of theirs.

"By the way," Flynn spoke again, "It's been quite a long time since I last mentioned it, but... well, would you reconsider moving to my place?" he asked with a hint of uncertainty.

A second of silence followed, before he felt Yuri nod. "I can cancel my lease at the end of the month. It's going to feel weird to leave that place." he commented.

"I can understand. I actually really like your studio." Flynn smiled. "Since the day you first invited me there, I always preferred it to my own flat."

"Why so? It's much smaller than your place." Yuri questioned, surprised.

"It just feels... I don't know, warmer? Maybe it's because it's smaller and partly made of wood, or just because of the colours, while my flat is just plain white and big and empty."

Yuri wrapped an arm around Flynn's shoulder with a smirk. "Then I guess it'll be my duty to turn your big white empty flat into something more lively. Don't complain if it turns into a mess, though. I don't know how to do things half-heartedly."

"I think I already know about that aspect of yours." Flynn chuckled.

Inwardly, Yuri was already rejoicing at the perspective of finally being able to move to Flynn's place. Hopefully no unexpected event would get into their way again.

* * *

><p>"Don't disturb a single thing in there. Put each file exactly where you found them and the way you found them. You know that if they find that something was moved, I'll be the one in big trouble." the man said with a hint of annoyance. "That'll teach me to be in charge of the archives room." he muttered.<p>

"I'll keep my mouth sealed. Your name won't get past my lips. But I won't get caught anyway. Quick as lightning." the woman replied with her usual charming smile. The man sighed.

"Fine. I owe Raven anyway. Since you're a friend of his, I can't really refuse." he said, standing up from his seat and walking her to a back room. "But damn, I wouldn't have expected him to call me after all those years to ask for a service." Producing a card from his front pocket, he slid it quickly into the security device and typed a code. The door unlocked with a bip. "Here you go. Be done quickly."

The woman nodded and disappeared into the room.

"By the way Judith," the man called her once more, "What exactly do you need the files for? I mean, what could be so important to prompt you to fly all the way to the capital city?"

Judith turned round with a smile gracing her lips. "Better if you don't know." Letting the door close behind her, she walked between the shelves of big, metallic drawers, glancing quickly at the labels on them until one finally caught her attention. She opened the drawers and let her fingers run through the numerous files there. "Ah." she murmured with satisfaction, picking out a red file from the drawer.

As she skimmed through the pages, her face darkened and a crease started forming between her brows. Some further investigations were going to be necessary. Producing a small camera, she took pictures of all the pages and placed the file back exactly where she had found it, the way she had found it. As she got out of the archives room, the other man asked her:

"You found what you needed?"

Judith nodded. "Yeah. Thanks a lot."

"We're even now."

"I'll be off now. Have a few important things to do."

"Be careful, whatever you're gonna do."

"Don't worry about me." She waved him goodbye as she left the police building from a side door, walking away in the night, as silent as a shadow.

The early hours of the next day found her in the first flight back to her place. While gazing at the clouds through the window, her hand was playing absent-mindedly with the phone in the pocket of her coat. _'Duke wants to invite us to his lab on the 26__th__. Hurry up'_ was the message Yuri had left her on the previous day. The further investigations would have to be skipped.

* * *

><p>"She's back." Yuri said, reading the message on his phone. "And she says she has stuff to tell us too. We're supposed to see her at the infirmary this afternoon, after our exams. I'll inform the others."<p>

"Did she tell you what she found out?" Flynn asked, but the other boy shook his head. Both of them were on their ways to their respective first exam of the day, along with hundreds of other students.

Yuri yawned. "She'd better be quick about it, though. I have a shift tonight."

"You could lighten your shifts a bit now that you're going to live with me." Flynn suggested.

The latter shrugged. "I could. But it's turned into a sort of habit for me, you know? Though I have to admit it can be quite tiring at times. Alright, I'm going this way. E building. You?"

"C. We meet at the usual place for lunch?"

"Yup. Good luck." Yuri said, walking away with a wave of his hand.

The examination, Yuri decided, was a joke. Well, the subject itself was a joke – it had been one of the reasons Yuri had picked it – so there was nothing more to expect from the examination. An hour and a half later, he was handing in his sheet and walking out of the room. Now he needed to kill time, as usual. His first thought was the infirmary. If Judith was back, he could update her about the current situation. Making up his mind, he headed for the infirmary building. He soon noticed the familiar dark blue hair through the windows as he walked closer; Judith was facing away from him and seemed to be talking to someone on her phone. He considered for a moment not to disturb her, then shrugged and stepped inside the building anyway. The door of the infirmary was slightly open, and as Yuri was about to knock, the words he heard made him freeze on the spot.

"–think we should do, Raven?...No, they're not. I planned to tell them this afternoon...How about you?...Of course not, but you can't keep doing this indefinitely...I understand...Yes, of course. Well then, I'll talk to you later."

Yuri waited a few seconds before knocking.

"Come in." Judith's voice replied. "Oh, Yuri." she said with a wry smile. "I take it you heard my conversation."

"Just the end. But enough to hear an interesting name." Yuri gave a quick glance around him. "Your assistant's not there?"

"Not today."

"So, what was that about?"

"What do you mean?"

"The old man, of course." Yuri replied, annoyed that he still had to explain. Judith was obviously doing it on purpose.

"What can I say? He's doing as fine as someone in his situation can do. I'm afraid he doesn't want you to know more. For now, that is."

"Should have guessed as much." the long-haired boy muttered. "Well in any case, I thought you'd want to hear more about Duke's invitation."

"Indeed. I wouldn't mind a bit more details."

Yuri took the seat in front of Judith and made a complete summary of the latest events: Duke's visit to the orphanage, the fact that he knew about Rita's research, his suggestion for her to drop off the case and his sudden invitation. "Oh, and I almost forgot. There was a sentence Duke said which Rita thought was weird." he finished. "He said that everything would be over soon. I don't think it has a particular meaning, but it keeps bothering Rita. You have any idea?"

Judith narrowed her eyes, looking deep in thought. She ended up shaking her head though. "I'm afraid not. The only way to know would be to ask Duke directly, but I doubt he'd give us a straight answer. Anyway, did you tell your friends about this afternoon?"

"Yeah, I did. Where have you been all these days by the way?"

"Doing a bit of investigating here and there. I'll tell you this afternoon, I don't like repeating myself so you'll have to be patient. But I can tell you that this invitation of Duke is actually the perfect opportunity."

"Opportunity, what for?" Yuri frowned.

"To present him with the results of my investigation, of course."

"So you'll tag along?"

"Naturally."

Yuri felt inwardly relieved; having Judith on their side could only be beneficial. There was still one issue to deal with, though. "Will that help get us the cure? Because honestly, our main goal in going there is to obtain the formula for the treatment, one way or another."

Judith crossed her arms. "I don't know for sure." Surprisingly enough, she then smiled. "But what I have for him should at least shake him off a bit."

"Now I'm even more curious."

"Be patient."

"I don't have much choice there, do I?"

"No, you don't." Judith replied with her best smile, which served to annoy Yuri even more.

"Anyway, I came here just to tell you about the new stuff that happened while you were away. Guess I'll take my leave now."

"Thank you for coming. I'll see you this afternoon then."

Afternoon seemed to arrive excruciatingly slowly. Fortunately enough, Karol had also finished his exam earlier, allowing Yuri not to wait for the others alone. However, as they met up in front of the library, Karol's gloomy face informed him that something was not right.

"An assistant from the orphanage left me a message. I guess Rita must have gotten it as well." The boy sighed. "You remember Kelly? She was taken to the hospital as well."

Yuri bit his lip. "This is not stopping at all." he said, gritting his teeth. "I don't know Duke's reasons, but I just can't forgive him for trying to kill off people who are just asking to live their lives peacefully."

"Me neither. And with one more sick kid, the officials will want to close the orphanage even sooner."

"Aren't Estelle's parents working on this?"

"Yeah but I can only hope they'll be quick enough to buy the orphanage before it's too late."

"Don't worry. In two days we'll see Duke and we'll find a way to get the cure. If we can heal the children, there should be no problem in keeping them at the orphanage."

"Yeah, you're right. But do you really believe we can get the cure somehow? I mean, I can't imagine him simply giving us the treatment just because we asked him."

"Of course not. But I saw Judith this morning, and she'll be coming with us. I hope she'll be able to do something."

"She will? That's great! There should be nothing to worry about then!"

"Well, we can't simply rely on her. I highly doubt she'll just point a gun at Duke and demand the cure from him. For all we know, he could choose to die." Yuri added grimly.

"Huh? You really think so?" Karol asked, blinking in surprise.

"Think about it for a second. He's successfully spread his virus or molecule or whatever, and no one knows how to treat the disease. In other words, even if he dies, he has achieved his goal."

"But wait, it's possible that his goal is to make money by selling the cure." Karol observed, but the other boy shook his head.

"From the information Rita managed to dig up, it doesn't seem like he's after money. More likely, he just wants to rid the planet of its inhabitants. Furthermore, he repeated in his email that everything will be over soon. If he really wanted to sell the cure, it would be more of a beginning for him."

"That makes sense. But at the same time, it doesn't." Karol crossed his arms. "I mean, why would anyone want to kill off everyone on Earth? You'd end up all alone, that'd be quite sad."

"Don't ask me. I've no idea." Yuri admitted. "I hope what Judith has to tell us will enlighten us. Anyway, wanna go eat something somewhere while waiting for the others?"

Karol agreed full-heartedly. "It's easier to think after a glass of strawberry milk and a lemon pie." he said.

If only it was that easy, Yuri thought.

* * *

><p>"It's rare to see so many people today. Did all of you eat something bad?" Judith asked jokingly as she pushed more chairs around the desk. "I expected you to bring only Karol and Rita." she addressed Yuri. "But don't get me wrong, it's a pleasure to have the university's two top students here as well." she added, smiling charmingly at Estelle and Flynn who coughed lightly of embarrassment.<p>

"We're kind of stuck in this all together." Yuri explained.

"Yep, Estelle is Rita's best friend and Flynn is Yuri's boyf–Ouch!" Karol hardly repressed a yell of pain when Rita crushed his foot with her heel.

"Is that so..." Judith cocked an eyebrow, gazing at both Flynn and Yuri with amusement in her eyes. The boys pretended to be busy admiring the paintings on the walls while Estelle just glanced at each of them in turn, not understanding what had just happened.

"Stop the idle chat." Rita snapped at Karol. She then turned to Judith: "So, what is it you wanted to tell us?"

"You're not one to waste time, are you?" Judith chuckled. "All right. Yuri informed me of the current situation with Duke. Apparently there should be no problem if I accompany you to his laboratory in two days."

"It'd be a great support." Rita nodded. "It's a real relief to know that you'll be with us." Both Estelle and Flynn nodded in agreement.

"Do you already have a plan on what to do there?" the blonde boy asked.

"Well, more or less." Judith nodded. "I don't know what Duke has in mind to invite you like that, but I'm quite sure he'll at least listen to the arguments I have. You see, I've been doing a bit of investigating, as I told Yuri on this morning. I'm sorry it took so long, but I couldn't find what I wanted here, so I had to go to the capital city to look for what I needed."

"Woah, you actually went that far?" Karol asked, impressed. "But what for?"

"To look into some archives." Judith turned to Yuri. "Do you remember when you first told me about Duke? You also mentioned the name 'Elucifer'. It triggered some of my memories from a few years ago. I had a hunch about it and decided to look for more details about the case of Elucifer. I guess you all know about that case?" As everyone nodded, she went on: "Well, what you may not know is that there's an official version, and a less official one. Being a medic in a special police unit, I heard about it a little, but it was never my job to investigate anything, so I never really paid attention to it."

"So I suppose you went to look for the less official version?" Rita inquired.

"Exactly."

"You found anything interesting?" Yuri asked, knowing quite well the answer given Judith's broad smile.

"I got access to restricted archives and this is what I found." she said, producing a folder from her bag and showing them the content.

Said content could definitely be qualified as more than interesting.

* * *

><p>On the 26th at 1.50 pm, a bus dropped the small group at a stop near Duke's laboratory. The large building wasn't tall but still clearly visible thanks to the big letters above the main entrance forming the words 'Pantarei Research &amp; Development Centre'. The laboratory was located slightly in the outskirts of the city, so that no residences could be seen in the vicinity, though there were many other large office buildings around.<p>

"I suppose we should go to the main entrance." Yuri suggested.

"There's something strange." Flynn observed with a frown.

"What is?"

"See the parking lot? It's empty. You'd expect employees to work there, right? So why isn't there a single car there? All the other parking lots are full."

"You're right. Smells fishy already."

"I'm already starting to regret coming here." Karol sighed.

"Then go back." Rita snapped dryly. "No one's forcing you."

"Hey, I was joking! Of course I'm coming with you all!" the boy protested.

"Well, you still have a chance to turn back now. There's no saying what could happen once we're inside." Yuri said. "Estelle? You still feel like going? You really don't have to if you don't want to."

But the pink-haired girl shook her head with determination. "I'm fine. I want to see with my own eyes the man who has been responsible for so much suffering. My godfather had already done the city a lot of harm, but I think that what Duke is doing is much worse. I want to help stop him."

"Do your parents know that you're here?" Judith asked.

"I simply told them I was going to spend an afternoon with my friends." Estelle smiled innocently. "It's not a lie, is it?"

Flynn didn't look pleased. "Still, it would have been better to tell them at least where you are. If something were to happen to you–"

"Then it would be my sole responsibility." Estelle finished for him. "The same goes for each one of us here, right? I'm no different from you."

"Well said." Rita agreed. "Now let's go. We wouldn't want to make our host wait."

As they approached the entrance gate, they noticed four guards blocking the way. Before Rita could even say anything, one of them stepped forward and opened the gate. The group was led inside the main building, to the reception, where they were searched for any potential dangerous item they could carry on them. When it was Judith's turn to be searched and the guard started looking into the hand bag she was carrying, Yuri feared for a second that he'd found a gun in it, but apparently Judith was smarter than that. There were only papers and make-up.

"What's this?" the guard asked as he began taking a folder out. Judith's hand swiftly rested on his as she gave him her usual innocent smile.

"These are documents for Duke Pantarei." she replied.

"Then there should be no problem with my checking them first." the guard insisted.

"They are just papers. And the content would be of absolutely no interest to you." Judith said sweetly.

"I have to check everything you–"

"That will be enough." a deep male voice interrupted them. Rita would have recognized it anywhere. She turned to where it was coming from, imitated by her friends, to see Duke Pantarei walking down a set of stairs. "They are here as guests, you are prohibited to act rudely towards them."

"Yes sir. My apologies, madam." the guard addressed Judith. Yuri didn't miss her faint scowl at being called "madam".

"You may leave now. I will take care of the rest." Duke ordered the guards, who obeyed immediately.

It was the first time Yuri got to see Duke in flesh, and he had to admit that the man had a certain charisma to him. No wonder why such a big proportion of the female population liked using his products. Duke's bearing almost looked royal, his clothes stressing his taste for refined and elegant yet not flashy attires. What impressed Yuri the most was his albino features: a pale skin framed by a cascade of silver hair and a face enhanced by eyes so deep red they almost looked like rubies. Of course he had seen Duke on pictures already, but seeing the real thing was much more stunning.

"I am pleased to see that you were able to come, Miss Mordio. I see you have brought along quite some friends." Duke said courteously.

"What exactly did you invite us here for?" Rita asked at once.

"You will see soon enough." was his mere reply.

"Why is there no one around? I mean, beside us and those guards. I don't see any employee."

"That is because I specifically demanded that the laboratory was closed today."

"But why?" Rita insisted.

"It will make it easier for me to show you what I want to show if there is no one around. Now please stop asking questions."

Rita glared at him and was about to retort something but Judith laid a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. With a sigh, the girl resigned herself. Yuri observed Duke as he invited the whole group to follow him to an elevator. Despite the building looking pretty much welcoming, he couldn't help but feel like he had just stepped into the wolf's den, except that the wolf was hiding its fangs quite well. The others were gazing all around them as they walked, silent. As they arrived in front of the lift, Duke suddenly spoke again:

"It is a surprise to meet you again under these circumstances, Mister Scifo."

"It was also a surprise for me to find out that you are the one behind the pandemic which is plaguing the whole world." Flynn replied as coolly.

"That is all the world deserves."

"And who are you to decide?" Rita asked acidly. "Some sort of justice-dealer?"

"I have no such pretention." Duke replied as he stepped into the large elevator. "Justice is a notion created by men and therefore as fallible as men. I think your father must have a fair idea of what I am talking about, Miss Sidos Heurassein, or am I wrong?" He pressed the button leading to the third basement. If Estelle was taken off guard, there was no sign of it. "It is true that people do mistakes, but people also repair mistakes. Nothing could justify your actions." she declared firmly. The doors of the elevator closed.

"Thousands and thousands of innocent persons are sick because of you," Rita went on fiercely, "and about as many died also because of you. Are you saying that they deserved it?"

"No one on this world is entirely innocent. People can hide themselves behind excuses, they may even believe that they have good reasons to act as they do, but in the end the result is the same: they harm other people. That is the nature of human beings. Won't you agree, Yuri Lowell?"

Upon hearing his name, Yuri raised his head only to face a pair of crimson eyes set on him. He stared back, unflinching, and his tone was hard when he replied:

"You are no better. You hide behind an excuse to kill other people."

"You are almost correct. I fully accept the fact that I am killing people, but that is the only way to stop them from hurting others. Don't you think that dying from a disease is much sweeter than dying because of the mistakes one made during their miserable life? Don't you think that your mentor Yeager would have suffered less that way?"

Duke had kept a very quite tone while he was speaking, yet Yuri still jumped when he heard Yeager's name from the man's mouth. And like a cold shower suddenly pouring on him, he was reminded of events he'd rather have forgotten. His mentor taking him under his wing and then trying to kill him, manipulated like a puppet by another man's scheme, only to end up shot after serving his purpose. Yuri remembered the horror when the gun was triggered and he saw blood staining Yeager's always impeccable costume, the distraught faces of Gauche and Droite and their tears, and Alexei's uncaring expression.

"Yuri." A voice murmured his name very softly. At the same time, fingers slipped reassuringly in his and squeezed his hand. Flynn. Yuri held Flynn's hand tightly, forcing himself to breathe slowly and cool down. The elevator had stopped and his friends were already outside, looking at him with a hint of worry in their eyes; Duke was the only one who didn't bother looking back. Flynn pulled Yuri slightly by the hand and they both stepped out of the lift.

"How do you know about Yeager?" the dark-haired male finally articulated.

"I have a good information network." Duke replied. "Among all the people present here, I do believe you are the one who would get my point of view the most."

"Yeager chose to live that way, knowing the risks." Yuri declared, controlling his voice. "He may have not made the best choices, but at least he chose. By deciding to kill everyone indiscriminately, you're ripping them from their right to choose how they want to live. And not everyone is as bad as you believe." Pia's face came to his mind. What harm had she ever done? She had always devoted her life to helping orphan children and raising them as her own, why would she deserve to die?

The group was now following Duke through a corridor.

"As I said before, I do not deal justice. I simply offer humankind an exit."

"You call that an exit?!" Rita exclaimed. "You've just lost your mind!"

"Feel free to think that way." Duke suddenly stopped in front of a door. As he unlocked it with a card, the door slid open to reveal a small room and another door. He repeated the action with the second door with another card.

"I feel like in a movie." Karol commented with a low voice. Yuri felt the tension rising at each step they took and he could tell that he wasn't the only one feeling that way; Rita looked particularly on the edge, as if she was expecting a bomb to blow to her face at any moment now. If anything went wrong, their only hope would rest in the documents Judith had brought with her.

What was waiting for them wasn't a bomb though, but a large room filled with computers and a screen on the wall.

"What's this place?" Karol asked, looking around him with wide eyes.

"This is what I wanted to show you." Duke replied. "Miss Mordio, I hope you remember my telling you that no matter what, all your research is pointless. I also told you that I would show you why."

"And I told you I'd find the cure anyway." Rita snapped.

"Assuming that you can find it, it will be too late."

"Then why bother inviting us here?"

"The answer is simple: you are the first person I know who has managed to go that far. You are the first one who found out that the disease wasn't spread through a virus, but through a molecule. You are the first one who found the origin of the molecule, and you even went so far as to research my past." Duke explained calmly. "Out of respect for your effort, I decided it was only normal to show you the final stage of the plan. You should see with your own eyes the entire iceberg and not only the tip. I was a scientist once, I know that is what your mind craves for."

"Then explain yourself." Rita said, though the explanation hardly convinced her.

Instead of replying, Duke walked to one of the computers, his back turned to them, while the others remained in the middle of the room.

"It took me years to create a molecule which could be hidden in a seemingly harmless liquid and which could react with human cells in an undetectable way." His deep voice rose. "About a year ago, I managed to synthesize a stable molecule, and a few months later, I started producing _Elegance_. However, as you may have noticed, the effects are slow. That is the reason I have spent all these months trying to find an enhanced version, much more radical."

Rita gasped in horror. "Don't tell me–"

"You found it." Yuri concluded darkly.

"I did." Duke nodded, his back still facing the group. "I have development and production centres like this one a bit everywhere in the world." He typed something on the control panel in front of him, and the screen lit up. "However, the main centre from where everything is controlled is the one you are standing in. I only need to activate a command and within the span of seconds, the new molecule will be released from each centre and will spread all over the continents."

"You cannot do that!" Estelle exclaimed in disbelief.

"Do you really mean to kill the entire population instantly? That's completely insane!" Flynn added.

"Humans cannot be trusted. The only way to protect this planet is by ridding it of the humans who inhabit it."

"We can stop you right here, right now!"

"Can you now?" Duke asked, as calm as ever. "I will be done before you can even reach me."

"Will you now?" A male voice rose mockingly behind them. "I wonder which would be faster: you, or my bullet?"

Everyone turned round at the voice and opened their eyes wide upon seeing who was standing by the door, a gun in one hand aiming at Duke. Everyone but Judith, who merely smiled. Yuri could hardly believe it. There he was, with his usual messy hair and his nonchalant expression, as if this was your everyday situation.

"Old man!" Yuri exclaimed.

"It's 'Raven Schwann' for you." Raven scowled.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Just figured I could be of some use."

"How did you find your way here?" Duke asked, still impassive despite having a firearm pointed in his direction.

"The lift was on this level; it wasn't hard to make the deduction."

"Don't kill him yet, we need to get the cure from him first!" Rita shouted.

"Hey, hey, I'm doing my best, young lady."

"Now, now. How about you all settle down for a bit and hear me out?" Judith finally intervened, turning the attention to her. Addressing Duke, she went on: "Especially you. I think you may be very interested in what I have to show you."

"I do remember your saying that you had documents to my intention." Duke replied.

"Indeed. But before showing them to you, I have a request. You could consider it my last wish."

"I'm listening."

"Tell us the actual reason behind your actions. Tell us about your friend Elucifer."

There was no surprise on Duke's face. "Is it so important for you to know?"

Judith nodded. "I believe it is."

"Since it is your last wish, I am obliged to comply then. However, you ask me about Elucifer, yet I am certain you already know what happened to him."

"The official version says that he was a brilliant surgeon who was also very devoted to humanitarian causes." Yuri said. "But then all of a sudden, he committed suicide. We'd like to hear your version of the facts."

"The official version is correct, yet incomplete." Duke replied. For a second, Yuri was under the impression that the man actually looked in pain at the mention of Elucifer's name. "Elucifer only sought to help, and yet humankind repaid him by rushing him to his death. Yes, he was very devoted to humanitarian causes. But he was not the only one. His family, for several generations, has always been very involved in them as well." He paused, turning his eyes to Rita. "On a side note, you may remember when I asked you about the orphanage's name. Have you figured out why? It is because that orphanage was built over fifty years ago under the patronage of Elucifer's family. That is why their name was given to the orphanage. And then it was removed after the incident with Elucifer occurred. Why do you look so surprised? It is not difficult to check the facts."

Rita was at a loss for words for a second; Yuri and Karol looked about as puzzled. It was Flynn who spoke in their stead: "It doesn't matter now. You're side-tracking."

"Indeed, I am. My apologies." Duke replied. "Let us go back to the main story, then. One of Elucifer's assistants failed a surgery once, and it was that one failure which caused his doom. The patient was the daughter of an important foreign politician. Elucifer refused to acknowledge that she had died because of a failed surgery, and as a result became the target of the press and the government which accused him of fleeing his responsibilities and creating a diplomatic incident. He never gave up, until the pressure became too strong one day." Duke stopped there and gazed away, as if to reminisce about the past. His tone had been full of melancholy, Yuri noticed, and he couldn't help but feel his heart sink a bit at the tale. Even without the details, he could sense the immense pain which must have seized Duke upon learning of his friend's death. He remembered also the documents which Judith had presented them; reading them had revealed just how close a friend Elucifer had been to Duke. He tried imagining himself and Flynn in Duke and Elucifer's roles; he wasn't certain how he would have reacted. Probably not in a much better way than Duke.

However...

"You are wrong." Yuri declared. Duke merely glanced at him, and Yuri took it as a sign to continue. "This is not the real version."

"You asked for the truth, feel free not to believe it. The outcome will not change."

"That isn't what your friend Elucifer would have wanted."

"Don't you dare pretend you know what he would have wanted." Duke replied dryly.

"But the fact is, we do." Judith intervened. "You said earlier that the official version is incomplete. That is true. Bur your version also lacks elements." She stepped towards Duke, her folder in one hand, holding it out to him. The latter didn't move at first, then eventually walked to Judith and took the documents. "The whole truth is there." she said. The paper on top was a hand-written letter she had read so many times in the plane that she almost knew it by heart. It was now held between Duke's fingers and there was no mistaking the faint and quick surprise on his face as he laid his eyes on it. His lips didn't move at all while reading the letter, yet Judith could know replay in her mind the whole content.

'_My dearest friend,_

_The present letter will be the last you receive from me, for I will already be gone by the time it reaches your hand. I can only hope that you will forgive me for leaving you; but knowing you, I am certain you will._

_These past months have been the cause of many torments which have eroded me slowly, but surely. During all those months, you have stayed at my side and supported me, and for that I cannot express my gratitude enough. However, it is because you are my dearest friend that I cannot let you go on like this. I have told you countless times, and today I will repeat it to you one last time: you have nothing to do with this mess, and you are promised to a brilliant career. That is why we must part ways. By staying with me, you will not be able to fulfil the goal which we had set together, years ago. At that time, we had made a promise to do our best together to help those in need. We have been able to live by this creed during years, no matter the obstacles. Unfortunately, a bigger obstacle than the others showed up. It has managed to stop me, but not you. You must live on and continue for the both of us, for all those who still need our help in this vast world. It is a selfish request, I am well aware, but you are strong, and I know you will be able to carry on without me._

_As for me, I am tired, but you already know it. I have tried to keep it up as much as I could, despite the pressure, despite the threats, despite those standing in my way; however, I feel that I have reached my limits. Now, my dearest friend, it is more than time for me to tell you the truth. The truth which I have withheld for too long, for I did not want you to face the same ordeal as me. During all these months, I tried to find a way to expose the truth, but this was beyond my abilities. By now, I am sure you are upset at me for not having told you. Then let me tell you that you would not have been able to do anything to help me. If anything, you would have sunk along with me. And if you had, who would have carried on our promise? That is why I ask you to forgive my silence. Now, read the following lines carefully, and the ones following them even more carefully._

_All this time, I have asserted without flinching that the girl did not die due to a failed surgery. This is true. The tale that one of my assistant made a fault is but a tale. When I operated on the girl, I noticed a strange reaction from her organs and therefore ordered a blood test. The test results showed that she had been poisoned, most likely by someone from her circle. I do not dwell in politics, but if this had been made public, the diplomatic consequences would have been dire. I was ordered to destroy the results, but even though I told them I did, I actually kept them, as a reminder that the truth still exists. I hid them at the usual place for you to see I have not lied. That is the only truth there is, and my only fault was to uncover it. From that moment on, I was not free to act as I willed anymore. Still, I thought that as long as I would be allowed to keep helping people, everything would be fine. But they would not even let me operate freely anymore. You know what I have been through. I am no longer able to help those in need as I would have wanted to. My hands are tied, but not yours. That is why I leave, and you stay._

_My dearest friend, what I am about to ask of you is tough, I know, but I believe you have the strength to do it. What I ask of you is not to hold a grudge towards that handful of people consumed by their own interests at the cost of others' well-being. I ask you to remember the millions of souls who still need your help. You are brilliant, Duke, you have the means to go on without me. We pledged to give health to as many people as we could, to bring smiles on as many children's faces as possible, to do everything we could not to hear a mother cry over her lost child. There is still so much to do, and during the past months, we did our best to achieve our goal. But now my chains are too heavy to carry, while you are free to fly around the world and give your help to those who cannot afford decent treatments. Your research has helped reduce a great number of diseases, but the task is far from being over. I know that if I told you to leave me, you would refuse. Therefore I must be the one leaving you, as painful as it is. You have spent enough of your precious time by my side, but I am not the one who needs you the most. It is my fault you have put your work on hold, and it pains me to see so. With me gone, there is no burden to hold you back. Resume our task, find people in need and bring back smiles on their faces, for that is our promise. You can be certain I will be watching from wherever I will be. My dearest friend, our world is beautiful and deserves our utmost care. We have been given the ability to care about our world, to make up for those who have forgotten how to care. Do not dwell on your resentment, for it would be too great a loss for our world. The smiles of a thousand children are worth the sacrifice. If possible, do not stay alone. We are mere human beings, we cannot achieve much on our own, but we can work wonders with a bit of help. I found the strength to continue to fight because you were there with me. If it hadn't been for you, I would have given up a long time ago. We have gone a long way together, and my time with you was the best thing which could have happened to me. Now I have used up all my resources, but not you. This world needs you and people like you; so for my last request, please take care of it as much as you can._

_Your friend truly,_

_Elucifer'_

The room was filled with silence while Duke was reading the letter, his face betraying no emotion at all. Noticing it, Yuri started fearing about the actual value of their trump card; what if it proved completely useless to stop Duke? Yet, as he heard a faint rustle, he lowered his eyes to Duke's hand – the one holding the pages – and saw that his grip had tightened and his fingers were trembling slightly. Raising his crimson eyes slowly to Judith, he gave her a cold glare.

"May I inquire how you managed to obtain these if they were never presented publicly?" he asked.

"I pulled some strings in the police department." Judith replied.

Still holding the letter, Duke turned his back to her and stepped to the computer again. However, he didn't make any gesture to the control panel.

"This letter could be a fake." he stated with his deep, cool voice. Was it a hint of trembling Yuri noticed in it?

"I think you already know whether or not it is a fake." Estelle replied softly before Judith could even say a word. As she stepped to Duke, Flynn tried to stop her but the girl gave him a reassuring smile and walked on. "I am sure you must recognize his handwriting, and I am also certain that if you were to look into the 'usual place' he mentions, you will find the test results."

"Silence." Duke ordered.

Estelle ignored it. "And I can tell just looking at you that you were moved by it. Do you think a fake letter could move you like that? All those feelings your friend put into writing it, we could never have reproduced them."

"I said, silence." His clenched fist was shaking slightly.

"You finally have the whole truth in front of your eyes." the girl went on, ignoring the worried looks she was receiving from her friends. "It is understandable for you to hold a grudge against those who are responsible for Elucifer's death, but not everyone is the same."

"Enough." Duke's tone turned colder.

"You've helped a lot of people in the past, haven't you? It's exactly as Elucifer said. It doesn't have to stop with him. It's not too late to carry on his will and to keep helping people. Like Elucifer, I believe–"

"Stop saying his name!"

This time, Estelle actually stopped, surprised. Duke's eyes were hard as he laid them on her.

"Don't speak his name as if you know him." he repeated, crumpling the letter with one hand.

"But she's right anyway!" Rita spoke out, striding to where Estelle was and pulling her back. "It's written there, as clear as water. He wanted you to keep helping people, not _killing_ them! He wanted you to bring smiles, not tears! Because of you, how many parents lost their children? And how many kids don't have a parent anymore?" she stomped her foot, fists clenched and anger painted all over her face. "Because of you, Pia and Lily and Pat... They... They..." She struggled for words as anger knotted her throat.

"Rita..." Estelle stroked her back comfortingly. Duke was gazing at them with an undecipherable expression; there was no telling whether he was actually shaken or if he simply didn't care. He then turned to the screen and his free hand moved to the panel.

Yuri heard a clicking sound behind him. Turning round, he saw Raven taking aim.

"Wait! You can't–"

"He's ready to decimate the entire population, Yuri." Raven stated.

"But–"

"We need to get the cure first!" Flynn intervened. Then, he turned to Duke: "Don't you think you've done enough damage as it is? How about you start trusting humankind a bit more, like your friend did?"

"The way you're doing things, you're just destroying everything that you and Elucifer have built together." Yuri added. "Maybe you don't have anyone you can depend on anymore, but we do. Some of us suffered losses because of other people, I'll grant you as much. But we still have persons we care about and whom we don't want to lose; what right do you have to rob them from us?"

Duke was still facing away from the group, and he suddenly lowered his head to the crumpled letter in his hand. His lips barely moved when he murmured a single sentence:

"Elucifer... I was not worthy of being called your friend, after all..."

He turned to Rita who was still glaring at him and slipped a hand in the inner pocket of his jacket, producing a small item. Then, he handed it to the brunette who took it with a frown.

"A memory card?"

"The formula for the treatment. The dosage and the synthesis are detailed there."

Rita stared at him with wide eyes while Estelle and the others blinked in surprise. "You're giving it to me, just like that?"

"It is what you wanted, is it not? I think the Vernas laboratories will be quite capable of handling the synthesis." Duke stated quietly.

"Then you..."

"Do not misunderstand me. I cannot forgive this world. But perhaps you can, in my stead. Now leave."

As Rita was about to comply, Yuri's voice rose again: "Hey, do you think you can just get away with that? You've killed people, even indirectly. You can't expect us to just leave like that!"

"I have to admit I agree with him there." Judith nodded, but Estelle retorted:

"Wait, he has given us the cure! That's all we need."

"But he can still decide to spread his new molecule or whatever it is." Yuri replied. "We have to make sure he can't harm anyone anymore!"

"That will be unnecessary." Duke declared calmly. All faces turned to him.

"Look at the screen!" Karol pointed his finger in front of him.

The words 'Emergency evacuation' were glowing red on the screen. Immediately after, a loud alarm started ringing, taking everyone by surprise.

"What the hell is that?!" Karol asked, panicked.

"You should leave the place immediately. In seven minutes, it will be no more." Duke explained, still impassive. "But seven minutes is enough for you to leave."

"You must be kidding!" Yuri shouted out.

"He's going to blow up the place?!" Flynn exclaimed in horror.

"He's bluffing!"

At the same instant, something shook under their feet, almost making them lose their balance.

"No way, he's freaking serious!" Raven yelled, his voice partly covered by the alarm. "Everyone, get out! Judy, the girls!"

"Right!" Judith nodded as she hurried to Rita and Estelle and grabbed them by the wrists. "Come on, hurry up!"

Estelle resisted, though. She looked for Duke, who hadn't moved from his spot, his eyes on Elucifer's letter. "But Duke, he's still–"

"We've no time! We must leave right away!" Judith dragged her forcefully outside the room. Raven and the boys were already out and running to the staircases.

"Why not use the lift?" Karol asked.

"The way the building is crumbling, that'd be suicide!" Raven replied. "Hurry up!" He urged them to the staircases while looking behind. Judith and the girls weren't far. At several times, tremors shook the place, eliciting more yells to hurry up.

"We need to get out before the whole thing collapses!"

"Damn Duke! How did he dare do something like that?"

"Stop talking and run!" Judith shouted. The alarm kept ringing in a deafening way, urging them to hurry for their lives.

"But he remained inside!"

"Who cares about that now!"

Yuri climbed the stairs, ignoring the muscles of his legs being strained, and sometimes glancing behind to make sure that Flynn and the others were still following. They reached the second basement, then the first, and finally the first floor.

"Come on! We're almost there! To the exit!" Raven shouted, making the younger ones go first. Judith was the last one, and together they rushed to the main entrance as the floor shook once again under their feet.

"All right, we're out!" Karol exclaimed, relieved.

"Don't stop yet! We need to move farther!" Judith made a gesture to the entrance gate.

"Hurry up!" Raven prompted.

The group didn't have time to run twenty metres that a terribly loud crumbling noise roared behind them, sending gusts of wind and almost making the ground sway under them. Karol covered his ears and shouted something while Judith kept making gestures to the entrance gate. A very quick glance over his shoulder showed Yuri that the whole facility was crumbling like a sand castle, raising clouds and swirls of dust. His heart pounding crazily and his head throbbing under the shocks of concrete hitting concrete, Yuri had nothing else in mind but to get out of there as quickly as possible. Next to him was Flynn, and instinctively, Yuri wanted to take his hand and grip it tight, to make sure they would stay together, to make sure that they wouldn't be separated by some trick, to make sure they wouldn't lose each other. He resisted the urge and focused on keeping his balance and making it to the gate, but before the group could reach it, Raven swore loudly. At the same time, sirens were heard and spotted on the main road.

"Damn! The police are already there!"

"Isn't it good? The fire brigade and ambulances are there also!" Karol pointed his fingers at the coming trucks.

"It's not good for me." Raven replied, biting his lip.

"We need to make a detour!" Judith declared.

"But–" Estelle started, but Rita interrupted her.

"How are we supposed to explain our presence here? I don't want any problem with the police or whatever!" she said. "Let's follow Judith!"

As he turned to Flynn, Yuri could see the indecision in his eyes. "You OK?" he asked. "If you're hurt, then I'll go with you to the ambulances."

"N-No, I'm fine. But we should–"

"Then come on! We'll think later!" Yuri dragged him by the wrist while Rita and the others were pressing them on.

"Where are we going?" Estelle asked, out of breath.

"Side door over there!" Raven pointed.

"We must get out of their sight!" Judith added.

By the time all of them crossed the door and reached the back of an office building a few hundred metres away from Duke's laboratory – or what was left of it –, police cars and ambulances had parked around the ruins and officers were already calling out for anyone left there. People from the neighbouring buildings had already started gathering at their windows or gone out to try and get closer to the scene. It wasn't too hard to avoid catching attention in the middle of the growing crowd. Still, Yuri and the others preferred to stay hidden at the back of the building.

"I can't... take it... anymore..." Karol huffed out as he collapsed on the ground, his legs giving up on him. He wasn't the only one in that state, given the loud pants next to him.

"Gosh... I thought... I wasn't going to... hold that far..." Rita was bent in two, her hands on her knees and almost breathless.

Both Yuri and Flynn had taken support on the building wall and couldn't utter a word. Raven and Judith seemed to be the only ones who weren't suffering too much and were catching back their breath rather quickly. Several minutes passed during which no one spoke a word; before Yuri eventually asked:

"What do we do now?"

"We have the cure." Rita replied. "We need synthesize it."

"Then we could have simply gone to the police and give it to them." Karol said. "Tell me again why we ran away like thieves."

"Precisely because they could have believed we are thieves." Rita said. "Or anything similar."

"But we could have told them the truth!" Karol protested.

"Oh yeah?" Rita crossed her arms and glared at the boy. "I'm sure they wouldn't have found us suspicious at all if we had told them that Duke invited us here, told us he was going to kill off everyone on this planet, changed his mind, gave us the cure and blew up his lab." she said with obvious sarcasm.

Karol scowled. "Well, if you put it like that..."

"Let's not forget that the old man is with us." Yuri added. He almost smirked when Raven rolled his eyes. "Now that wouldn't have looked suspicious at all."

"Speaking of which," Rita addressed the older man, "when do you plan to stop pretending you're dead to the world?"

Raven scratched his head, affecting to be quite annoyed by the question. "How to put it..."

"Soon enough. I'll make sure of it." Judith intervened, a bright smile on her lips. "In any case, we really need to think about what to do now."

"I wonder if there is any chance for Duke to still be alive." Flynn pondered.

"Doesn't look very probable to me." Yuri replied.

Rita punched the wall. "That man! I can't believe he just chose to die like that! That's just too easy! Damn too easy! And seriously, destroying the whole lab, just like that? What was he thinking?! Is this world only filled with stupid people or what?" she vented. "I'm pissed! I'm so freaking pissed!"

"He may have planned it since the beginning." Raven observed as he leant against the wall and crossed his arms, looking half-absent. "Duke, I mean."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rita snapped back.

"Maybe he actually invited you for you to stop him."

"Now you're just spouting nonsense."

But Estelle looked suddenly troubled. "Actually... you know, I think there's a possibility that it is as Professor Schwann said. Maybe... just maybe, he did have a very small hope that you'd be able to stop him somehow, and that may be why he sent the invitation."

"That's ridiculous." Rita protested. "Why would he do that? If he had really wanted to stop, he could have stopped on his own."

"No, he couldn't." Yuri shook his head. "He had gone too far already to change his mind on his own. What he needed was a reason, an actual reason that would have convinced him to cease his madness. Rita, you were so keen on your research that he may have believed you would be the only one capable of stopping him."

"But in the end, it was Judith who did it."

"That's thanks to your own investigations, Rita." Judith pointed out. "I would never have thought of digging up those documents otherwise."

"Also," Yuri went on, "Have you noticed how he addressed you, Flynn, Estelle and myself at the beginning? I think he was provoking us on purpose to hear our arguments against him."

"Are you saying he wanted to convince himself that he was wrong?" Flynn asked. "That barely makes sense."

"Logically speaking, yes." Yuri nodded. "But remember that what Duke did was not based on logic, but on his feelings towards his late friend Elucifer. Believe my experience, when it comes to feelings, people's minds can pull out some crazy stuff. " He sighed.

"This is getting too complicated for me to understand." Karol complained. "I'm getting a headache."

"Simply put, I think that deep inside, Duke knew very well that he was on the wrong track, and he was merely trying to find a way out, through us." Yuri concluded.

By now Rita was biting her lip while frowning deeply, as if she was still trying to be convinced. The others were silent, maybe because they were too exhausted to ponder about the truth of Yuri's words.

"It doesn't change the fact that I'm still pissed." Rita finally spoke.

"But at least you have the cure now." Judith observed calmly. "You can save Pia and the children, and everyone else."

"It takes time to synthesize that kind of stuff." the brunette replied.

"More of a reason not to waste more time."

"How do we get out of here?" Karol asked.

"I can call my parents." Estelle offered. "They'll send someone to pick us up."

"And we can mingle with the crowd in the meantime. Good idea." Judith nodded. She then sighed loudly. "Gosh I think I deserved some good rest after all this."

"Same here." Yuri and Flynn said in unison.

Both boys looked at each other and a smile appeared on their lips. In their eyes, the same feeling of relief: it was finally all over.

* * *

><p><strong>xxxxxx<strong>

* * *

><p>"Alright! I see them! Everyone, get ready!" Karol announced.<p>

All the children of the orphanage were already jumping in excitement in the main hall, some with flowers in their hands while others were holding drawings or presents or bags of confetti. Behind them had been a long table garnished with cakes, candies and various beverages. On one of the sides of the white paper napkin, the words 'Welcome back' had been written by the children and decorated with many drawings.

Everyone placed themselves in front of the entrance door, bumping a bit in each other in the process, but Karol and the assistants managed to keep order among the kids.

"Shhh, she'll be here in a few seconds." Estelle put an index over his lips. There were murmurs among the children, but as soon as the door opened, they turned to a loud cacophony accompanied by the stomps of feet running to the door.

"MAMA!" Some kids yelled as they literally jumped on Pia who stepped back in pleasant surprise. "PIAAAA!" Some others cried while tugging on her clothes and trying to be patted by her. Pia could do nothing but laugh and struggle to keep her balance at the sudden attack. Confetti was thrown everywhere, and Pia kept laughing along with her precious children. Rita and Flynn, who had picked up Pia at the hospital, allowed themselves to join in the laughter while trying not to be swept by the tide. Lily, Pat and Kelly had been discharged earlier and were therefore part of the welcome party. Some kids started pulling Pia to the table and soon enough, the feast began in a happily noisy atmosphere.

At a corner of the table, a glass of orange juice in her hand, Rita was watching everyone enjoying themselves.

"Too bad someone's missing the party." she said.

Flynn, who was standing next to her, nodded with a resigned smile. "He couldn't really help it, could he?"

"But damn, that wasn't a nice thing to do to him." Karol pouted. "He'd have wanted to be here today, after worrying so much about Pia."

"He knows we're having a party, he said he'd have a thought for us." Flynn replied.

"How did Pia take it when you told her?"

Rita shrugged. "She shook her head and said she could wait a bit longer to scold him."

"It's not like he's gone in a faraway place." Karol said wisely. "How are you faring with it, Flynn?"

"I'm fine, I guess. It's been only three weeks since he's left, but it's not like we can't talk to each other."

"But still, it must be quite hard on you not being able to see him."

"You can still take the plane, can't you?" Estelle suggested.

"Taking care of my new company is time-consuming." Flynn sighed. "I can't really afford trips like that very often."

"Well, the good point in this story is that he has something to do with his life now." Rita stated as she helped herself with another glass of juice. "Something other than creating troubles, I mean."

"That wasn't very nice, Rita." Karol observed.

Flynn chuckled. "He isn't cut to study, so I agree that this won't do him harm."

"You're really taking this well." Rita pointed out.

Again, Flynn sighed. "I didn't take it that well at the beginning. But there was nothing much I could do about it, was there?"

It had happened a month ago, but Flynn remembered it as clearly as if it had just been a minute ago.

_It was barely 6 pm when the door of The Baron opened and two men stepped in. Neither Flynn nor Yuri paid attention to him at first, until a closer look at them almost made Yuri choke. One was wearing a police uniform._

"_Flynn, tell me what the hell Raven is doing here, with the new police commandant." he uttered between his gritted teeth. "And tell me why the hell they're coming in our direction."_

_Flynn, who was seated by the bar, turned round and frowned. The two newcomers were unmistakably Raven and Nylen. And they were unmistakably coming in their direction. "I have no idea. But I suppose we'll know soon enough."_

"_Good afternoon, kids!" Raven greeted them happily as he sat one sit from Flynn while Nylen merely stood in-between._

"_And to you, old man." Yuri replied, still suspicious._

"_Yuri Lowell? I'm Nylen, commandant of the national security services." The older man held out his hand with a smile. "But we already saw each other a few times before, in the lower quarter." After Yuri shook hand with him, the latter greeted Flynn in a similar way._

"_Yeah, I guess so."_

"_I hope you do have a few minutes of your time to hear me out."_

"_Well, I'm currently working, but I suppose I don't have much choice."_

_Nylen laughed, and Flynn could tell it was a sincere laugh. Really, no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't help but feel that the new commandant was somehow trustworthy._

"_Right. Then let's get down to business." He cleared his throat. "Yuri Lowell, I'm afraid you are currently in some rather annoying trouble."_

_Both Yuri and Flynn's faces fell at the announcement, but the fact that the expression Raven was bearing was nowhere near serious cast a doubt on their minds._

"_Tale of my life, but care to be more explicit?" Yuri inquired._

"_You were somehow involved in what happened yesterday, weren't you? No, no need to look surprised. And no, don't glare at Schwann like that. If anything, you should actually thank him." Turning to Flynn, Nylen gave him a strong pat on the shoulder. "You were there too, I heard. But don't worry, I'm not here to arrest you or anything. Anyway, the fact is, we dug up the site a bit and found some intact recordings from security cameras, which we naturally watched. It's only a few seconds, but unfortunately, you can be seen on them." he addressed Yuri again. "It's not completely clear, but I've seen you enough in the lower quarter to identify you."_

_There weren't many customers yet in the pub, so Yuri couldn't pretend to be busy taking an order. Instead he stared straight at Nylen._

"_Your point is?"_

"_Normally, I should take you with me for questioning, and then we'd find out that you had a rather... active past. Part of the Leviathan's Claw, involved in the incident leading to Yeager's death, involved in the more recent incident leading to Alexei Dinoia's death, and now involved in the even more recent incident leading to Duke Pantarei's death. That's quite a lot of coincidences, don't you think?"_

_Flynn stood up promptly. "Wait! Yuri hasn't done anything to–"_

"_Flynn, my boy, calm down." Raven cut him in._

"_In any case," Nylen went on, "you can't ignore the fact that there are serious questions about you. I went to the lower quarter to look for you; looks like you got yourself some good support from the people there. I talked a bit with them and with this fellow here," he pointed at Raven with his thumb, "and apparently you're not that bad a kid. So, what I'm offering you is an alternative. Care to hear it?"_

_Yuri shrugged, not even bothering to reply the rhetorical question._

"_Good. I'm offering you to work under me. You'll be sent to the capital city to be formed and trained there and you'll be under my direct authority. I order you to do something, you do it. You help keep people out of trouble instead of creating it, you follow a strict discipline instead of acting like the stupid youngster you are, you heed rules instead of rebelling against everything and nothing."_

_Yuri stared at him dumbly while Flynn frowned in perplexity. "...Come again?" was all Yuri managed to articulate after a few seconds._

"_Hey now, don't give me that look." Nylen defended himself. "It was actually partly Schwann's idea too. I wanted you to join our forces as repayment for the mess you're partly responsible for, but Schwann insisted that you be under my direct command instead of being affected to some other squads."_

_There was something wrong, Yuri noticed. "What would you gain from it? And what does the old man have to do with this decision?"_

_Nylen grinned upon hearing Raven being called an old man. "I gain you. I've got a fair idea of what you're capable of, and we need people like you. You know how to deal with troublesome cases and that's an asset. And listening to Schwann's request was his condition for working for me too. Not officially, of course. I think no one would like to see Alexei's fearsome right-hand man come back from the dead."_

_To Flynn and Yuri's surprised expressions, Raven merely shrugged. "What can I say? This guy's intel is efficient."_

"_I don't care about your pasts. I'm just interested in what you can do to help others. That's why I want the both of you in." Nylen continued._

"_Yuri," Raven intervened, "I know you don't like authority much, but you have to realize this is a chance you can't let escape."_

"_What would happen if I were to refuse?" Yuri asked._

"_I'd be forced to present the recording as evidence in yesterday's incident, and let justice decide what to do with you." Nylen replied. "So, your answer?"_

"_If I accept, I'll have to stay with the police indefinitely?"_

_The older man laughed. "No, of course not. If you accept, you start next week and you're gone for three years. That's the required amount of time to complete your formation and training. After three years, you're free to stay or quit."_

_Inwardly, Flynn's heart sank as he heard those words. If Yuri accepted, he would be gone during three years. But if he refused, then who knew what could happen? Yuri's past would definitely not act in his favour, were justice involved. Why did it have to turn out like that? His eyes turned to Yuri, who was obviously having the same inner struggle. Their gazes met, and finally Yuri replied without a hint of joy:_

"_Give me a day. Just one day, to make my decision. It should be fine, right?"_

"_Sure. In that case you tell Schwann your answer. And that said, I'm off because there's an insane amount of work waiting for me." Nylen concluded with a loud sigh as he walked away. "Think carefully."_

"_Tch." Yuri could only click his tongue in annoyance._

The talk that had followed had been far from easy, Flynn remembered.

_It was late, and on the way back to Flynn's place, no one had uttered a single word about the conversation with Nylen. It was only once they stepped into the flat and Flynn slipped a cup of tea between Yuri's hands that the latter finally spoke:_

"_I don't want to go, Flynn. I don't want to leave you for three years. Damn it, we were supposed to live together at the end of the month!"_

_The blonde boy sat on the sofa next to his lover, stroking his long, ebony hair. "I know, Yuri. I know. But going there is the best choice for you, even if it means being separated for some time. And besides, it's not like you're going to the other end of the world. It's only a few hours by plane, we'll be able to see each other."_

"_But that won't be the same!"_

"_It's only three years. We can bear with it for three years."_

"_That's not fair... That's just not fair at all!" Yuri put the cup down on the table and turned to Flynn, gazing at him with pained eyes. "Everything's finally over, we could finally live together and now this crap happens! I just... want to stay with you, that's all." he finished in a whisper, resting his forehead against Flynn's shoulder._

_Flynn wrapped his arms around Yuri and felt the latter do the same around his waist. "That's what I want too, but sometimes we can't really choose." he murmured softly._

_Yuri raised his head, and their lips met. The kiss was almost shy at first, then turned more demanding, more passionate and more desperate. Yuri pushed his lover gently to lie on his back and claimed him there, not caring that they weren't on a bed, not c__aring that the tea was getting cold, not caring that on the next day he would have to give a positive answer. The night was young, yet they wished it lasted forever._

"Flynn. Flynn!" Rita waved her hand in front of Flynn's face. The latter blinked, forcing himself back to reality. "You spaced out."

"I guess I did. My bad." he apologized with a smile.

"You do miss him a lot, don't you?" Estelle sympathized.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't." Flynn admitted.

"Hey, we should phone him now!" Karol suggested. "Since we're all here and everything! He'll be happy to know that Pia's back!"

"Good idea!" Estelle approved.

"Sure, why not?" Rita nodded.

Flynn smiled again as he picked out his phone.

It was only three years.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N:**** And this concludes the last arc. ****Before you kill me or anything, please wait for me to post the epilogue. I don't like leaving unfinished stuff. Afterwards you are free to do whatever you want. Though chances are great I'll die beforehand, at my interview -_-. So, thanks to all those who still find the courage to read this; I promise you won't have to endure it for long. See you at the epilogue! (Unless the interview kills me)  
><strong>


	42. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Flynn checked his watch, tapping his finger lightly on his arm. _'Checking the time every minute won't make time fly by faster.'_ he lectured himself, though pointlessly. He was almost an hour early and the first one to arrive at the terminal. The arrival board indicated that the flight would arrive on time, for now. Fortunately Flynn had brought a book with him, though he was more flipping the pages than anything else. He gazed absent-mindedly around him: travellers dragging heavy luggage, parents running after their children, foreigners asking the staff for directions, and people waiting. His eyes drifted to the huge clock above the board. Five minutes had passed. He sighed. _'Might as well go and have a drink.'_ It would certainly be a better way to kill time. Spotting a coffee shop nearby, he put his book back in his bag and headed for it.

Soon enough, a steaming cup of tea was between his hands. As he let it cool down a bit, his thoughts started wandering. The three years had passed rather quickly, in the end. True enough, there had been times when Flynn would feel the urge to simply throw away the insane amount of work plaguing him and fly over to Yuri, but during those times, a mere phone call from the latter would prove sufficient to put him at ease. Hearing Yuri complain about how Nylen kept giving him orders and how Yuri hated following them would always make Flynn smile. The twin girls wouldn't stop teasing him as well, but they were good friends now; someday he would introduce them to Flynn.

Ten minutes later found Flynn finishing his tea cup and paying the bill before walking back to the terminal. He stopped mid-way though, as he spotted two – no, three – familiar silhouettes a bit farther away. Two seemed to be arguing together while the third person was chuckling, indicating that the argument was most certainly not serious. Flynn hurried to them.

"Guys! What are you doing here?" he called them out.

The two who were arguing turned their heads to him. "Oh, hi Flynn! You're here early!" Karol said.

"Duh, obviously we're here for the same reason as you." Rita added.

"Good morning, Flynn." Estelle greeted.

"Weren't you supposed to be waiting for us at the orphanage?" Flynn asked.

"Yeah, but a certain person here changed their mind at the last minute and decided they wanted to pick Yuri up too." Rita answered, her thumb pointing at Karol.

"Hey! You wanted to go too!" the younger boy protested.

"In any case, it seems we're a bit early." Rita went on, completely ignoring Karol.

"Let's just wait patiently." Estelle smiled.

The small group waited, though not so patiently. Minutes passed, and after what seemed to be an eternity, a voice in the speaker finally announced that the plane had just landed safely at the airport. A quarter of an hour later, the first passengers crossed the gates of the terminal. Though he didn't show it, Flynn could hardly contain his emotions. Oh, Yuri had come back a few times, but every time it was only for a day or two. This time, he was coming back for good. A home was waiting for him, by Flynn's side; it had been waiting for him for three long years.

"I see him!" Karol exclaimed.

Quickly, Flynn scanned the crowd, and within a second, he spotted him. His long hair was tied up, but Flynn would have recognized that cocky smile of his from miles away. While Karol and Estelle were waving their arms at him, Flynn merely stood there, waiting for Yuri to finally turn his eyes to him. When he did, Yuri's face lit up and he almost ran to them. Seeing that Flynn wasn't moving, Rita clicked her tongue and shoved him in the back:

"Come on, don't be shy." she sneered as Flynn gave her a surprised look, but he didn't have time to reply anything as a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck and embraced him tightly. Taken off guard, Flynn could do nothing except hug back, a broad smile on his lips.

"Missed me?" Yuri asked.

"An idiot like you? Never." Flynn replied with a chuckle. An intense warm feeling was spreading through him, making his heart flutter, and for a moment he wished he could stay like that forever, with Yuri in his arms.

The others laughed as Yuri released him and pouted.

"Come on, let's hurry back to the orphanage, there are some people there who want to see that idiotic face of yours too." Rita added happily.

"Geez, I come back and first thing you do is insult me." Yuri complained while shaking his head. "Maybe I should reconsider going back."

"Don't be stupid and just come already!"

* * *

><p>The first thing Yuri noticed when they arrived at the orphanage was the big metallic plate on the entrance gate.<p>

"_Elucifer Orphanage House_

_Patronized by the Sidos Heurassein family"_

He cocked an eyebrow upon reading it: "You never told me the orphanage has a name now."

"Well, most orphanages have a name, so why not ours?" Rita pointed out. "Besides, it's only fair."

"I guess so."

"Come on, come on! We've got plenty of food waiting!" Karol urged with excitement as he ran to the orphanage's main door.

"What a glutton." Rita muttered.

"But he's right! Come on, let's hurry to the party!" Estelle added, laughing.

"Oh man, you even organized a party?" Yuri asked.

"What did you expect?" Flynn smiled.

The door of the orphanage opened, and someone was standing on threshold, her fists on her waist. Yuri's heart warmed up at her sight, and even more when she strode to him, her eyes shining and a falsely upset expression on her face. Pia hugged him so tightly he almost choked, but at the same time he couldn't help but smile.

"Welcome back, my stupid boy."

* * *

><p>The orphanage was probably as noisy as during the welcome party for Pia, and though half the kids didn't know Yuri, they were already happy enough to have an opportunity to run around the hall, eat cake and shout.<p>

Flynn and Yuri were standing by a window, slightly apart from the others.

"I do hope you're prepared to have your flat turned messy." Yuri joked.

"I've been looking forward to it for three years." Flynn replied on the same tone.

"It's good to be back here." the dark-haired male stated, gazing outside the window.

"And it's good to have you back."

But Yuri wasn't listening anymore. Rather, he was frowning. Outside was standing a suspicious-looking man dressed in a long, crimson coat with a high collar partly hiding his face. He seemed to be reading the plate on the entrance gate. Despite the distance, Yuri could have sworn the man had silver hair and somehow, he immediately imagined a pair of ruby eyes. However, as he blinked once, the man was nowhere to be seen anymore.

"Yuri?" Flynn called his name. "What is it?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing." Yuri shook his head. "By the way, I've just realized, but you didn't even greet me once since I came back."

"I didn't?" Flynn frowned.

"Nope."

"Then I must apologize for my rudeness." Not caring that everyone could see them, Flynn leant in for a kiss and as he pulled back, he murmured with a smile:

"Welcome back, Yuri."

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**A/N: OK, now this story is over for real and for good. I'd like to give very special thanks to those who followed the fic since the beginning and have been reviewing each of my chapter (that really made me happy). A virtual cookie to each of you who actually managed to reach this far, plus an extra virtual cookie for your advice/criticism/support, and a banana for those who don't like cookies. GOSH I CAN'T BELIEVE I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO FINISH THIS DAMN THING o_o And now Imma take a break while enjoying being (still) jobless :D**


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